You Had Me From Hello
by CaptainCrash
Summary: Complete HGSS and other pairings. The wizarding world is at the brink of war. How can Hermione cope when the man she loves is getting married?
1. Something for the Pain

You Had Me From Hello  
  
This is dedicated to Neil...   
  
A/N this was previously called Time after Time. I've now had a new idea for how it can go so I've deleted the original. I hope this is much better and people will review.  
  
As the clock struck one, Hermione knew it was over. She'd lost her sweet prince forever, unbeknown to him. She lay upon her crisp white bed in a daze. Safe in the knowledge that it was summer. She'd chopped off her long locks in favour of a short bob. In the hope that it would give herself some sort of renewal.  
  
No such luck. Hermione thought as she slid off her bed and looked at herself in the mirror. Her room's only light was scented candles on her dressing table. Underneath the new haircut she was still the same know-it-all the man of her dreams despised.  
  
Her white summer dress clung to her perfectly. He would have approved the gypsy style that hung down to her knees. She began picturing him next to her. As she had done for the last two years, when she realised what she felt for the man was love.  
  
What was he wearing right now? Something hand-made no doubt, something black. She reprimanded herself. She knew the man better than that. She knew he wasn't that sulking bat that lurked in the dungeons.  
  
She knew him. Better than he had known. But that still wasn't enough. She didn't know him enough to declare her love and simply say "Sev I love you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you."  
  
Hermione threw herself back on the bed and wept. So loudly her mum was guaranteed to have heard. Snape was gone. She'd never see him again. All the more reason to have said, Something! So many chances, so many signs he'd felt the same.  
  
A knock came at her bedroom door, disturbing her thoughts. Had her mum heard her?  
  
"Honey, you have a visitor." Her mum said through the wooden door when no answer was gained. "In you go Ginny. Maybe you can get her to come out. Or at least get her to open her curtains"  
  
A petite red head poked her head through the door. Dressed as if she was about to go out on a date. Or attend a wedding. Ginny blushed as she stood in front of Hermione. Unsure of what to say.  
  
"Mum got an invite to the after party. Dad can't make it so she's taking me." It was if she was there to seek approval. Hermione just stared at her blankly. "Is it o-"  
  
"Of course it's not ok! It should be me." Hermione wept into her pillow. "It should be me. You should be going to my wedding." At this Ginny began crying.  
  
"I'm sorry Herm! I don't want to go, you know I don't like the man." At this Hermione shot Ginny a look that would kill. "Is there anything I can do?"  
  
"Tell him I said congratulations." Hermione pulled the duvet over her head. Then she had a thought. A way out. "Ginny?" Hermione questioned as she poked her head back out.  
  
"Yes?!" Ginny asked hopefully settling herself on the bed opposite Hermione.  
  
"Will you do something for me. You have to promise to do it before I tell you!" Hermione answered, grabbing her best friends hand. Ginny nodded softly. "Take my memories of him and obliterate them." Ginny went white. What had she made a promise to do?! There was no way she could do that to her friend. She looked at Hermione. Her face was full of determination. "I shouldn't have asked... I wouldn't have. But I can't find my wand." Hermione explained. "I've bought a pensive. They amount of memories you'll have to remove means I might pass out, so I have to trust you not to look at them!" She got off the bed and retrieved the pensive. A single tear ran down her face. "If you don't I'll die lonely and of a broken heart." Ginny understood. She pulled out her wand and allowed Hermione to settle down on her bed.  
  
"Are you sure about this?" Ginny asked before she began.  
  
"With all my heart." Hermione answered simply. With that Ginny began removing Hermione's memories of Serverus Snape. 


	2. Temptations

Temptations  
  
Ginny sat with the bowl of silver liquid in front of her. Hermione lay peacefully asleep on the bed. In the dim light, Hermione's memories taunted her, begged her to look. Ginny held her wand to the bowl and prepared to obliterate Hermione's memories.  
  
She hesitated as they glinted at her. One look, what harm will it do? Ginny thought looking at her watch that told her the where-about of her family members. Her mum was still at the Burrow so she had plenty of time to get to the party.  
  
As much as Ginny wanted to see the now Mrs Snape. Ginny knew very well Hermione had met her on numerous occasions. Ginny was too curious as to what happened the day Hermione had come to the Griffindor common room flustered from the dungeons early in Ginny's fifth year.  
  
Placing the pensive on the dressing table, Ginny allowed herself a moments pause to check on the sleeping Hermione through the mirror. It felt as if she was reading Hermione's diary. Something completely wrong. However the chance was too compelling. She used her wand to select the correct memory.  
  
She watched as the image became clear....  
  
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Hermione had walked into the potions classroom in the fall of her sixth year. She had decided to hand in her coursework the moment she had finished it. In truth, she was just trying to get away from Harry and Ron's persistent questions. She just wanted peace and quiet. The strain was beginning to show on the growing woman.  
  
What she had not expected was Neville. Having extra classes, and failing miserably. Poor Neville, Hermione had thought. as she brushed passed his cauldron to get to Snape's desk. He sat deeply engrossed in a roll of parchment. He knew she was there. He hadn't looked up and seen the pale looking woman enter his classroom. He sensed her. She was unsettled and lost.  
  
"Miss Granger?" He questioned without looking up his hair was hiding his face. Hermione began fidgeting. Straightening her black blouse. She wished Dumbledore hadn't stopped sixth and seventh years from wearing uniform. She hated figuring what she had to wear each day. In the end she decided to wear nothing but black. Today being no exception. A long black skirt and fitted blouse made her look all too conservative. "Miss Granger?" Snape repeated harshly, snapping her back to reality.  
  
"My coursework." She answered flatly allowing the short roll of parchment flutter to his desk. That was what she needed. She felt better. "Thank you professor." Good old Snape, She thought as she made her way to leave. Live for now. No daydreams. She admired Snape for that discipline.   
  
Only by chance did Hermione look up and see what Neville was doing. He was adding an ingredient which would cause the potion to explode and fatally wound everyone in the room.  
  
"Neville stop!" Hermione shouted reaching for her wand. Alerting Snape in the process. However it was too late. The ingredient had been added and Hermione was wrecking her brain for a protection spell.  
  
Within a flash, Snape had pulled Hermione into him. He muttered an incantation which protected the three bodies in the room. However the shock of Snape's surprisingly warm, strong arm over her fragile torso shocked Hermione. She was caught off guard fell backwards onto the cold stone floor. Bringing the elegant Snape along with her.  
  
She lay frozen on top of him. Mesmerised by the rising and falling of his chest, the sensual burning of his flesh on hers; even through the thick clothing they both wore. His warm, sweet breath tickled her neck. Her eyes met his. There was a moment of heated connection before Neville's whimpering brought them back to reality.  
  
"Miss Granger. Are you unable to move?" He hissed, coldness returning to his eyes. "If you can. Would you please get off me!" Hermione began to burn up as to how this would look to anyone who would walk in right at that moment. Unaware that Ginny was watching from the comfort of her home, in fits of giggles.  
  
Hermione picked herself up off the floor and looked around the room. Potion was splattered on every inch of the room. Even the fact that Neville was injured didn't stop Snape roaring at him within an inch of the poor boys life. The only words Hermione (and Ginny) caught were;  
  
"-Extra potions are cancelled. Do you hear me boy? Now get yourself to the hospital wing. Your detention will be to clean this place with a toothbrush. Starting tomorrow."  
  
All Hermione (and Ginny) could hear was the beating of her heart. She could still feel the warm tingling sensation where her body had touched his.  
  
"-That was a brave, but very stupid thing you just tried to do Miss Granger." She heard Snape say. She could not respond, she was in a dream of what could have happened. "Miss Granger!" He said a little more harshly. Or was that a hint of worry in his voice?  
  
"Yes?" She finally answered looking at him. She found she was sitting down on a chair and he was knelt in front of her. She looking into his eyes. Still cold. She noted sadly.  
  
"Did you hear what I said?" He question while visually checking her for wounds where the protection spell didn't take affect. Lucky for her the contact of Snape had provided full protection. Lucky for Neville, he wasn't protected so much and had subsequently broken his arm. Hopefully it would teach him not to be so dozy. Snape explained this to Hermione. (Ginny noted herself that not only was Snape checking for wounds... He was simply checking her out!)  
  
"Yes... Very brave thing I did." She answered vaguely. Still in shock at the recent revelation. Yes, she almost died. But more importantly, her heart was pounding, Because of her potions teacher.  
  
"No. Brave and stupid. Do not forget the stupid part!" He smiled and Hermione looked away. Ginny's own heart skipped a beat at that rare smile. "You are an immensely intelligent woman...." Hermione's eyes returned to Snape's as he paused, deep in thought. He referred to her as a woman. Not a chit-of-a-girl or a know-it-all, but an intelligent woman. "However-" He paused again, and she knew what was coming. "Your two friends have led you into acts of heroics over these last six years that are going to get you killed. I will not be there to save you next time."  
  
"Of course. Potter always has to get the blame. How'd he do it this time?" It wasn't the fact that he was attacking her friends that insulted her. She noted that because of her use of her actual use of "Potter" to referred to her dearest friend. It was the realisation that nothing could ever happen between them. He could never accept Harry or Ron as much as they would accept him. "I do believe it was Neville's fault that I almost died. Not Harry's!" Hermione stood and left without a backwards glance. Knowing that she stood to fall from a great height.  
  
************************************************  
  
Snape had said something. Something that Hermione's memory picked up, but Hermione's ears didn't. Ginny frantically rewound the last few seconds of the encounter and highered the volume with a quick spell.  
  
"- But he's made you who you are Hermione." Is what he had muttered as she had left.  
  
A/N: Big shout out to my two wonderful reviewers...   
  
BadBoyLover: Sorry about the confusion. I have about four different versions of this chapter. When I changed the story I picked the wrong one to take extracts from. I think I've cleared it up in this chapter, but let me know if I should go back and fix chapter one.  
  
MxSRose : Hadn't really given much thought into Snape's new Missus, but a big, big thank you because you've given me an idea for a later chapter.  
  
I looked at your profile and you like Star Trek, I've written an Enterprise FF called "Lie to Me" If you want to take a look. Appreciate the review of it.  
  
Akalei: Now I've had two reviews saying the same thing, I've realised my problem: I'm assuming that people can read my mind, lol. Sometimes I get caught up in what I going write in the next paragraph or even next chapter that I lose concentration of what I'm writing there and then. I'm going to fix this problem soon and update chapter one.  
  
I've read your chapter of Behind Closed Doors (And I ask that anyone who reads this does the same. Just look under my favourite authors in my profile) and it looks promising. I will review it when I put this chapter up and I will also look at your other stories.  
  
To all readers: Ginny is your puppet mwahahahah... what other memories/ encounters would you like to see? So far I have a school trip to New York lined up. I do have a problem of writers block from time to time so ideas will be gratefully accepted. 


	3. Away Begone, my vicious forked tongue

After many minutes wading through Hermione found the memory she was looking for. Christmas day of her fifth year. So memorable for many reasons. Not only did she want to see the incident again, and howl at Snape's response. She wanted to see what had happened on the Quidditch pitch that afternoon while she was soaring above, watching Snape and Hermione talk. It was the day Ginny found out Hermione had any feelings for the potions master. Ginny checked on the sleeping Hermione. For some reason Ginny had the foreboding that Hermione was going to catch her in the act.  
  
Once Ginny turned round she realised she'd missed the first few seconds of the re-play....  
  
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All that remained in Hogwarts that Christmas where sitting on the floor of the Great Hall where a big white rug had appeared to keep them from the cold stone floor.  
  
The whole Weasley family were there. Since Molly had gotten a job as assistant nurse at the beginning of the year, Dumbledoor had insisted they all spent the holidays there. The only missing member was Percy. However it was best not to bring that up in conversation as it caused Molly great pain. Apart from Harry and Hermione, very few other people stayed. A few first year muggles, that was all. The fear of war had parents wanting their children back at every possible moment.  
  
Everyone was on the rug opening presents. Except Professor Snape, who sat on a chair, with a look that told everyone he wanted to be somewhere else. Hermione noted that he was the perfect person to play Scrooge, gave herself a second to laugh silently and return to opening her presents. Ginny's was next, a thin rectangular present.  
  
Both Ginny's where watching with apprehension. The second knowing how it would all play out, was trying to contain her laughter.  
  
"Ginny, It's an Orlando Bloom calendar. Where on earth did you get this?" Hermione asked in shock, Orlando Bloom was her god, however he was unheard of in the wizarding world. Both Ginny's blushed.  
  
"I went into London. If you look I've charmed the pictures for you." Ginny opening the pages of the calendar revealing Orlando Bloom waving at both of them.  
  
"Why on earth would you want such a thing Miss Granger?" Snape questioned with a snort. It had appeared to Ginny, watching from the pensive that he was hanging on to every word Hermione had spoken. He didn't wait for a reply. "I thought you would have more taste. Not only is it the same person for every month. It's the same pose... The only thing that differs is the haircut."  
  
Hermione had had enough. First he had insulted her choice of friends, which she still felt bitter about. In fact she had only spoken to him in class when he had spoken to her. But scoffing her taste in men?!  
  
"You really are one to criticize aren't you?!" Hermione spat rhetorically. "Snape; the man born with the long lank hair. Liked it so much, he's kept it the same for decades." The instant it slipped from her tongue she knew it was a mistake.  
  
Instead of laughing, Ginny's eyes filled with tears. The pain and embarrassment was clearly evident on Snape's face. It was heartbreaking seeing it through Hermione's eyes as Snape silently rose, amongst the sniggers of Ron, Harry and even Ginny, to her own embarrassment. It had seemed so funny at the time. He left the room without a word to anyone.  
  
Hermione didn't look at anyone, but she felt their eyes burning into her. She followed suit and left the room without another word.  
  
************************************************  
  
"Hermione what's wrong?" Ginny's voice could be heard in the pensive once her memories had been fast forwarded to after Christmas dinner; which the present Ginny recalled that neither injured party had turned up to. She had gone to check on the head girl in her personal rooms a little while later.  
  
With a flick of her wand, Hermione had removed all evidence of tears from her face. Ginny would have to remember that one.  
  
"Nothing." She replied shortly as the red head came into view. She was wearing her Quiditch gear. "No. No thank you."  
  
"Relax Herm, we don't want you to play. And besides mum's given my the permission to hex you if you refuse to come down," Ginny pulled the girl up from her four poster bed. "It's the Weasley's versus everyone else. Do you really want to miss it?!"  
  
Truth was she did. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die. But she didn't protest as Ginny ushered her onto the Quiditch pitch, dressed in her long suede skirt and black polar neck jumper.  
  
Her heart wasn't pounding. It had stopped beating. There, sitting alone was Snape. He'd cut off his hair and spiked it. It transformed him completely and took her breath away. Without his raven hair framing his face, he looked less sickly looking. His face no longer looked thin and his hair no longer lank. Orlando was forgotten in an instant and never thought of again. Hermione closed her eyes and wished away her pang of guilt and made her way to the stand without another word to Ginny. Ginny felt her own pang of guilt as she remembered her thoughts of her best friend walking away. At the time she didn't know how Hermione, or even Snape, felt.  
  
"Hello?" Hermione approached Snape wearily too scared to sit down.  
  
"Miss Granger." He answered coldly finding something interesting over by the castle. Hermione followed his gaze to find nothing of interest there. She sighed and sat down.  
  
"I'm disappointed in you professor." Hermione hoped he wouldn't take it the wrong way. He scoffed slightly, but still didn't look at her.  
  
"And I'm certain you have been put in the wrong house. That vicious forked tongue of yours in worth a place in Slytherin." His words dripped with sarcasm.  
  
"Why would you take the words of a chit-of-a-girl to heart. A Griffindor to boot?" Hermione questioned.  
  
"Why are you forever putting yourself down?" Snape watched the game begin.  
  
"Answer my question." Hermione stated. When he didn't, she placed her hand on his arm. "Please look at me."  
  
"When you can answer mine, you won't need my answer." Snape replied honestly a softness in his voice, turning to find Hermione at the brink of tears. "Please don't." Returning to his voice.  
  
"I'm sorry." She looked at her fidgeting hands that lay together on her lap. "I didn't mean what I said. There's a saying I know; put your brain into gear before-"  
  
"-You put you mouth into action." Snape helped her finish. He laughed. "You apology is accepted Miss Granger." He felt for his hair, it wasn't there. Without looking, he knew she was staring. "Yes?" He sighed, more to keep up appearance sake. He could sense what she wanted to do.  
  
"May I-?" Her hand instantly went to his hair. But she hesitated. She needed his permission.  
  
"Be my guest." He rolled his eyes at her his eyes moved to the quiditch game. The Weasley's were winning 70-30.  
  
Her hand forked the crisp spikes. It was taking all her effort not to move in front of him and place both hand to his head and kiss him. Silky smooth, she realised that all these years it was that softness that was mistaken as grease. She could feel texturising wax that must have been dulling the shine. How long would this new Snape last. Would he change it back before the start of term? Was it just a way of getting at her, or had she really got to him?  
  
"Have you quite finished Miss Granger?" Snape asked, irritation in his voice. A moments connection where she believed he might have felt the same way had been lost.  
  
"Sorry professor." Hermione blushed and made to leave.  
  
"You can return to groping my hair in a moment if you must." Snape retorted. "I have to ask you something. Please sit down." Which Hermione did immediately. "I've been asked to go on a two month potion excursion-"  
  
"Yes." Hermione answered without hearing the question. Her sense of relief that Snape's acceptance of her apology couldn't remove had been lifted.  
  
"You don't even know the question. I could be asking you to teach my lessons while I'm gone." Snape smiled slightly.  
  
"I don't care. If it gets me out of the mundane... I'll do it." This response shocked both Snape and Ginny. Snape realise the feeling he felt from her that day in the dungeon wasn't one of being lost. She felt trapped.  
  
"You can not seriously think your life is mundane. You are a muggle in a wizarding world." Snape knew she had used the wrong word. And she knew that he knew.  
  
"What was is you were going to ask me?" Hermione avoided the trap Snape had lay down for her. He subsequently gave up.  
  
"Would you join me in New York?" Snape asked watching her face light up.  
  
"Two months. In New York?!" Hermione questioned. "Shame about the company!" She giggled, wondering to herself why she insisted on insulting him. Was it a bluff to make him think she hated him?  
  
"You won't think it's such a joke when you find out who will be joining us. I fought hard about this, but he really is the best candidate-"  
  
"Malfoy?!" Hermione half asked, half told him. Her smile fading slightly. "I'm sure I can cope professor." Hermione reassured him. She was so desperate to get away that no blonde spoilt brat was going to stop her.  
  
A/N: Good, Bad? Is Snape out of character? Does it really matter? let me know in a quick review! much love.  
  
Next chapter will be about how Ginny finds out about Snape.  
  
Stacey Pointe- Awwww shucks, you made me blush. Hope you liked this chapter and if you have any ideas, feel free to put them in your next review (hint, hint lol) 


	4. Honesty and Absinth

Honestly and Absinth  
  
Should have put it before now, but as you know I don't own any of the characters. Most situations are fictional, others actually happened to me. Please read and review.  
  
Ginny paced Hermione's darkened bedroom. The thought that Hermione had wanted a change so badly bothered Ginny. It was almost a year and a half since Hermione had had that talk with Snape. Yet it was the first time Ginny had heard of her entrapment. How could the Head Girl, a powerful witch with the wizarding world at her feet feel her life was mundane?  
  
It was only when she heard her own echoed laughter did her focus return to the pensive.  
  
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Both Ginny and Hermione stumbled through the portrait into Hermione's vast private chambers after one too many butter beers, Molly had given them a small bottle each, under strict conditions they were to have no more. Hermione, however, had taken the liberty to charm the bottles to refill once empty. Luckily, the chamber was relatively open plan with no stairs to climb for the drunken pair; her four poster bed being to the left, draped in shades of purple: the sitting area to the right, decorated in Griffindor colours and a door leading to the bathroom was facing the portrait entrance.  
  
Both girls made it to the bed without falling. But once upon it Hermione had fallen to the floor in a fit of laughter. Hitting her head on the bed side table, waking up her cat who slept on the rug.  
  
"I'm glad we got rid of the boys, they were making a show of themselves!" Ginny laughed, placing her butter beer bottle on the table to help her friend up.  
  
"I'm sure you are." Hermione answered sarcastically. "You realise your missing your chance to seduce said boy." Hermione returned to the floor in search of her bottle. She found it and returned to the bed to find Ginny shrugging away the suggestions. "There's someone else? Is it true, Ginny Weasley is finally over the boy-who-lived?" Ginny again shrugged. "Who? You've got to tell me! Friends don't keep secrets." The Ginny of the present scoffed at this, all things now considered. "Is it Neville?!"  
  
"Your not going to approve." Ginny answered honestly. "It's Draco." Ginny buried her head in a deep purple pillow. After a moments silence, Ginny raised her head. "Are you mad?" Ginny was in tears.  
  
"No." Hermione giggled softly. "You can't help who you fall in love with" Hermione explained. "But Ginny, he's horrible to you. I don't understand what could attract you to the enemy of the boy-who-lived. And besides... He's Slytherin-"  
  
"You are one to talk!" Ginny shot her a warning glare.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Hermione laughed feebly at the accusation, knowing what was coming.  
  
"You heard me. What was going on with you and Snape today? You haven't spoken to him in two months... Declared you hated the man's guts. But you had your hands through his hair as if he was your boyfriend." Ginny rambled with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"I truly believe I am not drunk enough to answer that question. And for the record he insulted me." Hermione charmed her bottle into a stronger liquor. Trying hard not to blush.  
  
"Do you like him?" Ginny asked, she wasn't being serious before. Hermione reddened. "Love him?" Ginny questioned, removing the bottle from Hermione's hand. Hermione burned even further. Her vision became so blurry that Ginny had to clear up the pensive with a quick charm. "Hermione. Are you in love with Professor Snape?" Ginny questioned. Hermione lay back to the head board and thought about the question. The question she had been scared to ask herself.  
  
"Yes." She answered softly, slightly sobering at the realisation. "I do." Ginny began sniggering out of control. "Oh, Ginny stop it." Hermione tried to keep a straight face. "It's not funny. What am I going to do for two months with him-"  
  
"Two months?" Ginny was lost. The present Ginny however, knew exactly what she was talking about.  
  
"I mean, in lessons, that's different, but two month with only him and Draco for company, I'm bound to slip up-"  
  
"Herm, what are you talking about?" Ginny tried to focus on the girl. But what ever she had put in the bottle was very strong. So strong, Ginny had the thought that maybe Hermione didn't intend her to drink it.  
  
"He's invited me to New York with him."  
  
"You and Draco?" Ginny questioned. "For two months?" Hermione nodded positively. "What am I going to do for two months without my best friend and the boy of my dreams?"  
  
"There's always Neville." Hermione cackled. The second dose of alcohol was taking affect as a knock was heard at the portrait entrance. Ginny was trying to protest at Hermione's suggestion when Hermione had opened the portrait and collapsed onto the man outside.  
  
"Miss Granger." Ginny noted the disappointed tone in his voice as he picked the girl up and brought her back to the bed.  
  
"Busted!" Ginny giggled as Snape placed the delirious Hermione on the bed.  
  
"Miss Weasley." He moved to the other side of the bed. "Off to bed with you." He got her on her feet and led her out of Hermione's chambers. With the snap of the portrait returning to it's closed position Hermione's memory went black. She was asleep.  
  
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Ginny's own memory of that Christmas night was vague. But seeing Hermione's replayed had triggered a memory of her own that she had forgotten. While escorting her to the Griffindor tower Snape had spoken to her....  
  
"Miss Weasley?" Snape questioned, catching her for the tenth time.  
  
"Yes Ssssssnape?" Ginny giggled as he rolled his eyes at her.  
  
"Would you do something for me?" He asked, and continued without a reply. "When you are sober tomorrow. Ask your friend if there is something wrong!"......  
  
Ginny sat stunned. The reason Hermione hadn't told her what was wrong was because she hadn't asked. It was only now that she had remembered his request. On leaving her he had given her a sober-up potion and told her to get some rest. In the morning she didn't remember anything that had happened and certainly didn't know he had returned to the sleeping Hermione.  
  
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A second knock that night had awoken Hermione. What started as a soft knock had grown impatient by the time she'd opened the door.  
  
"Serverus?!" Hermione greeted as she flung her arms around his neck.  
  
"Miss Granger." He warned, feeling her forehead. She was burning up.  
  
"How many times have I told you to call me Hermione." She stroked his cheek. Unfortunately, she had never once contradicted him and told him to refer to her as Hermione. It occurred to Snape that she was so drunk that she thought she was dreaming.  
  
"Molly will kill me if she sees you like this." Snape muttered as he attempted to stand Hermione upright. She crumpled to the floor. Snape sighed and sat down to join her. "You do realise if the headmaster finds out, you will not be allowed to accompany me to New York." he tried to make her see sense.  
  
"He won't Sev. He won't find us." Her arms returned to his neck to pull him into a kiss.  
  
"Miss Granger." He growled pulling her to her feet and walking her to the bathroom where he placed her in the shower and ran the cold water.   
  
Ignoring her screams of protest he returned to the bedroom. He found Hermione's bottle quickly and sniffed at it's contents. "Absinth?!" He walked into the bathroom, flushed with anger to find Hermione resting weakly on the showers glass. All anger faded when he saw she was crying. Snape slowly opened the shower door and joined her inside.  
  
Setting her upright he removed a second bottle of sober-up potion. He slung his arm round her waist and tipped her head upwards. The small vile had reached her lips when she began to protest.  
  
"No. No more drink." She brushed away Snape's hand weakly. He sighed and tried again. She put up such a fight. She had even slapped him across the face before he finally got it down her.  
  
"Stay here while I find you some bed clothes." He whispered softy, resting her under the cold water. He stepped out of the shower dripping wet, performed a drying spell and went off in search of bed clothes for the sobering student.  
  
When he returned, he found her sitting on the lip of the bath wearing nothing but a pale green towel and a sobered expression.  
  
"Here." Like a gentleman he averted his eyes while he handed her a pair of cotton pyjamas. "I'll be waiting outside" He returned to her bedroom.  
  
As much as Hermione didn't want to face him in the light of what had just taken place. She knew it would be rude to leave him out there. Stepping out into her room, she found him dozing on her bed. She coughed slightly, to alert him of her presence. He shot up quickly. How the man looked in dire need of a decent nights sleep. Hermione thought lovingly. She checked the clock above the fireplace. It was now boxing day.  
  
"I am truly sorry Professor." She joined him on the bed. Truly ashamed of herself. "It's bad enough looking after us at term time. You shouldn't have to do it in your own time. I-" Hermione had begun rambling. Snape's soft hand hovered over her lips.  
  
"Hush child." There it was. He'd called her child. Hermione's heart sunk, as did Ginny's. "I saw what you had done to the bottles. I thought I'd let you have your fun. However. When I found Weasley and Potter mounting one of the statues..." He thought about what to say. "I didn't want them to find you." He said in a moments honesty. "They would stop you from coming to New York. Dumbledor is having a bad enough time with it as it is. You being- And me being..." Snape had flustered. "You need this trip more than anyone!"  
  
"And Draco?" Hermione asked flushing at Snape's embarrassment.  
  
"It's an impressionable time for him. The longer he's away from his father-"  
  
"Are you sure you can change him?" Hermione questioned. "He's about to hurt one of my dear friends without trying. I fear for her safety." Hermione allowed a tear to fall. Her inhibitions still down.  
  
"Are you so sure he's what he appears?" Snape brushed a stray hair from Hermione's eyes. Hermione caught his hand as it removed it. It forced him to look her in the eye. The first time he'd done so since she had appeared from the bathroom.  
  
"Why are you doing this? Why do you have to be nice? I had you figured out, and now I don't." Hermione paused. "Your giving hope for Draco. I don't want that. As much as I'd like you to be right, I don't want to let my guard down with him."  
  
"Hermione." He tugged on her hand as she tried to dry her tears. "Look at me." He used his other hand to brush her face. "Your guard is down." He said it with so much force and worry all she could do is nod. "I'm going now." He stood, pulling the duvet down so she could get in. "Stay off the absinth." He added with a gleam as he covered her with the duvet.  
  
"Professor." Hermione called as he made to leave. He acknowledge her call with a nod. "Obliterate my memory... Of this! Please, I feel ashamed of how I've acted. I won't be able to look at you the same."  
  
"As you wish Hermione. Close your eyes. You'll wake up with a headache, but that will be the hangover." She closed her eyes as she was told. But he didn't obliterate her memory, for Ginny had seen it all. Hermione simply forgot in her drunken haze of Honesty and Absinth.  
  
A/N:  
  
Once again thank you to Stacey Pointe. I love that you love my story. Yes, I think Snape is a little out of character too, but he's based on the guy this story is dedicated to. The incident with him cutting his hair actually happened, and he really is getting married. And I'm going to shut up now. Please review this chapter. 


	5. New York, New York

New York, New York.  
  
It was late April when Hermione, Draco and Snape left for New York. With plans to be back in June when exams began. Snape and Draco waited patiently at the foot of the stairs leading into the castle while Hermione said her goodbyes.  
  
"It's only for two months." Hermione had just pulled out of a hug with Ginny who was crying her eyes out in the doorway of the castle. "I'll owl you everyday." Hermione tugged Ginny's hands away from her face. Her friend was steeped in worry. Her bold summer dress made her look paler than she was.  
  
"No you won't Miss Granger. You'll be having too much fun." Ron grabbed his friend in a bear hug. Over the years Ron had grown from little first year to stocky sixth. A world on the brink of war would do that to a person.  
  
"Ron. The hair." She smiled fixing her poker-straight hair, the warm April sun hi-lighting her face. "Harry. Take care of these two for me yea?" She hugged her third friend who had remained eerily silent over the past few weeks leading up to her holiday. He wasn't too pleased at her company on the trip and had even stopped talking to her for accepting when he first found out.  
  
"What am I going to do without you H?" He whispered shakily in her ear. "I love you. Take care," He said out loud. "Professor?" Harry shouted, all the warmth he could manage in his voice. Snape turned and coldly acknowledged Harry. "Take care of our girl. We can't get in trouble without her." He winked at Hermione.  
  
"She is quite capable of taking care of herself Potter. It's you I worry about." Snape snarled returning to his conversation with Draco.  
  
"Aw, I didn't realise he cared." Harry muttered to Hermione. Who laughed a little too loudly.  
  
"I don't. I just wouldn't want your death on Miss Granger's conscience." Snape had apparently heard Harry. "Miss Granger. Do hurry up. We don't have all day." Snape retorted, a little irritated. Hermione made her way down the stoned stairs. She was wearing a cherry-red pleated skirt with a white blouse. Her hair was straight, kept in place by a thin headband in matching cherry-red.  
  
"Couldn't you have had that display of affection in your room." Draco spat harshly, knowing the trio left on the stairs could hear.  
  
"Just jealous no-one had come to see you off Malfoy?" Hermione replied as they made their way down to the path to the main gate were they would apparate to a international port key.  
  
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Truth be told Ginny was there to see Draco off as much as she was there for Hermione. It had been heartbreaking watching them leave. Ginny thought as she sieved through the pensive. Checking the time and her location watch told her she had plenty of time, her mum was still at the Burrow. Snape and his wife were probably having their first dance about now. Thank god she only had to make an appearance. She had finally reached the bit she wanted. They had arrived at the hotel. A muggle hotel by Central Park. Twenty-Five floors of lush Manhattan apartments. The top two floors dedicated to Wizards on business trips....  
  
**********************************************************  
  
Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn't take it anymore, he really couldn't. His blood was boiling and he was about to make a scene in the middle of the busy foyer.  
  
"One more time. Just one, and I will hex you both to oblivion. You are in your sixth year. You're adults, behave like it." Both Hermione and Draco fell silent, forgetting what they were arguing about. "Her- Miss Granger, room 1145. Top floor. Draco-"  
  
"Why do you called him by his first name?" Hermione questioned, hand on hip. Regretting agreeing to the trip. He saw her as nothing but a child, while he saw Draco as an equal.  
  
"-Mr Malfoy." He corrected sourly, feeling a headache coming on. "1156, top floor. I have to talk to that lady over there. You will meet me here in twenty minutes, and I will show you the sites. Get unpacked." He handed them each their key. Their clothes had been sent up, it was simply a case of unpacking.  
  
Both Hermione and Draco made for the lift which had just opened a few feet from the main desk. Along with them came three slightly younger looking girls, who were also on the top floor. All dressed in shocking pink.  
  
"Look Draco. Were spending two months together. Can't we at least be civil?" Hermione asked as the lift started its assent. The girls twittering in front of them. Draco scoffed at the thought. "Please Draco. For Snape's sake, do you really want him blowing up like that ever- What's happened?" There was a sudden jolt and a loud thud. Draco pressed the button for the top floor again. Then looked at the light displaying the floor they were on; third.  
  
"We're stuck." He shrugged returning to Hermione's side. The girls began screaming. One of the girls, the tallest of the three, reached inside her muggle outfit for her wand and was about to perform a spell on the buttons. Hermione reacted quickly pinning the girls arm to the lift wall, snapping her wand in two.  
  
"And what you do that for?" The girl sneered, her pale green eyes flashing with anger.  
  
"We are in a closed area? A three foot square. You get that spell wrong, you'll kill us all-" Hermione explained to the blonde girl.  
  
"You owe me a wand!" She said through gritted teeth invading Hermione's personal space. She hated it when people did that.  
  
"I'll fix it once we're off the this lift." Hermione reasoned as her two friends came up for their say. One with long brown hair the other with short black hair.  
  
"Don't we know you?" The second girl asked. She instantly remembered, her eyes glowing with recognition. "Your the famous Hermione Granger." A soft American accent came out. Draco rolled his eyes at this. Even Granger was internationally famous.  
  
"You're nothing but a filthy mudblood." The third English voice answered. Closing in on Hermione. Draco was between them in an instant.  
  
"She may be a mudblood.... But she's my mudblood! You want her, you go through me!" Draco puffed out his chest. The three girls giggled.  
  
"And who are you, Ronald Weasley?!" The first girl sang out.  
  
"No. I'm Draco Malfoy." He said with pride. The girls giggled further still.  
  
"Never heard of you mate." The English girl said, which shocked both Hermione and Draco. "Anyway, I say we still do what Alisha planed."  
  
"I don't want to die!" Hermione said forcefully pressing the buzzer above the panel of buttons. "Hello?!" Hermione said as the static became clear. "We are stuck in car 2."  
  
"Ok, we'll send someone to sort it out now." The voice said through the small amount of static that remained. "We don't know how long so you'll just have to sit tight."  
  
**********************************************************  
  
Ginny felt guilty as she began fast forwarding through Hermione and Draco's time in the lift, but after five minutes of hearing what the three A's (Alisha, Ashley and Alice) had packed in their suitcases and what they intended to buy, she was starting to feel nauseous and claustrophobic herself. Ginny began to wonder. Was she to obliterate Hermione's entire memory of New York or just those that contain Snape and her alone. Her memory would recreate events to fill up the holes once her memory was restored. Well she would just have to see what happened through the rest of the holiday.....  
  
*********************************************************  
  
An hour and a half later, Hermione and Draco appeared from the lift on the ground floor. Still wearing the same clothes, the three girls went off in search of the stairs. Snape was unaware of the situation as once he had spoken to the women she had showed him the apartment they were sleeping in.  
  
"I said twenty minutes!" Snape growled. Hermione was too stunned at his appearance as a muggle to hear what he was saying. He was dress in blue faded jeans and a plain black t-shirt.  
  
"Professor." The meek clerk came over as he heard the racket Snape was making. "These people have been trapped in the lift for the last two hours." Snape's anger faded.  
  
"Are you alright?" He asked with genuine concern once he realised they were both wearing petrified expressions. "Draco?" He asked once no response was gained from either party.  
  
"We are fine uncle." Draco replied in a moment of weakness. Hermione's head shot up at this remark. "Sorry professor." Draco blushed slightly.  
  
"It's ok." Snape said, irritation evident in his voice. "I'm sure we can trust Hermione to keep our secret... I am his Godfather." Snape explained.  
  
"That's very interesting, but I want nothing more than to have a shower and a change of clothes... I didn't mean to be rude." She added realising what she had said was a little harsh. Snape just laughed.  
  
"It's ok. I think we'll call it a night. You look wrecked." His hand instantly reached for her face. He hesitated once he realised what he was doing. "Well, I suppose you'll be taking the stair then." He blushed, hoping Draco didn't see.  
  
Ten minutes later, Hermione had reached the top floor panting. Followed by an equally out of breath Draco. He collapsed on her shoulder. Snape had left them to climb the stairs while he took the lift.  
  
"You know what?" Draco said between gasps. "I'm going risk the lift tomorrow." He smiled at her. Ginny's green eyes flared.  
  
"Me too." Hermione laughed. "Well, I'm going to check out my apartment and have a good long soak in the tub. I'll speak to you later yea?" Hermione question reaching for her key. Her room was just opposite the stairwell.  
  
"Yes... Just pop round when your ready." He said going down the corridor and to the right. Ginny felt like she had missed something, why was Draco being nice? Something must have been said in the lift. Hermione put the key into the lock, her home for the next two months. Was filled with triple A's. Hermione groaned. Of all the girl she had to be sharing with, it had to be the ones she'd picked the fight with. It was nice of Snape to have warned her she was sharing at any rate. She had excepted an apartment to herself, or if she was to share, to be with Snape and Draco. As far as she could gather there weren't that many people staying for the convention. Snape had said it was a convention for student at a New York school and there were spare places that were auctioned across the globe. "The Rise and Fall of Dark Lords" was what the two month convention was entitled. Each continent had one, as did each generation. The convention was to cover each one.  
  
"Oh well, if it isn't the little mudblood." Alice cooed. Fresh out the shower.  
  
"I'm sorry if we got off on the wrong foot. It's just I've had enough near-death experiences to last me a life-"  
  
"Enough." Ashley spat. "We don't want excuses from a mudblood like you. Now we're having the bedroom, so you have to sleep on the couch." Ashley went into the bathroom and slammed the door as the other to A's went into the bedroom.  
  
Hermione took one look at the couch. She was having to spend two months on that? It didn't even fold out. It reminded her of the sorting hat. How she missed Hogwarts already. Hermione waited patiently for her turn in the bathroom.  
  
Hermione knocked at Draco's door half an hour later, happily clean and dressed into her pink pyjamas. Her face flush with anger. The girls had taken hours in the bathroom, getting ready to go out with their schools, from the loud conversation it appeared that Ashley and Alisha went to the same school in Chicago and Alice was from LA, but had travelled from Kent in England five years previous. The moment the water had hit Hermione's skin they had banged on the door wanting use of the hotel hairdryer that was mounted beside the mirror.  
  
"Can I stay here for half an hour till the girls in my apartment leave?" Hermione questioned as Draco opened the door. "It's the girls from the lift." She explained.  
  
"Of course." He opened the door wide to allow her room to come in. Inside there was a main living space and three doors that led to two different bedrooms and a bathroom. "Guys this is Hermione. Hermione this is Richard, he's from Texas. And Julian and Kyle are from Spain." Draco introduced her to the three boys he was to live with for the next two months. "Me and Herm need to talk so we're gonnna go-" Draco pointed to the left door. The boys just winked and nudged each other. This was something else Hermione hadn't told Ginny.  
  
Once the door close Draco sat on the bed a motioned for Hermione to do the same.  
  
"Why are you being like this?" Hermione asked. "What nasty little plan have you got up your sleeve?" She wasn't sitting down if he had a plan.  
  
"None what so ever." He sighed. "You know who my father is. I have a reputation to uphold-"  
  
"One that doesn't seem to add up to much." Hermione referring to the lift.  
  
"I care don't care about that kind of reputation. And that's why I have to act like I do. I'm not friends with Crabbe and Goyle, they've been told to keep an eye on me." Hermione saw that he was being honest.  
  
"But Harry?" Hermione sat in front of him on the bed. "You don't need to be so harsh."  
  
"I still hate him. He has my wanted life. Fame, friends. I resent that." One single tear fell down his face. Hermione realised how much her remark must have hurt this morning.  
  
"Well. There was one person seeing you off this morning who does want to be your friend." Ginny's stomach dropped. This is why Draco started paying her attention. This is why he was waiting at the party for her. "Ginny Weasley is in love with you." Draco scoffed.  
  
"She fancies Potter. Surly I'm a come down. Or does she think he's out of her league." Draco spat sharply, the attack being on Harry.  
  
"Or maybe she's realised you have something Harry hasn't got... Or maybe she's seen the real you, and like what she sees." Hermione paused. "If you don't like her. don't let her know that you know. She had five years of Harry knowing she liked him and him not doing anything about it."  
  
"Don't fear Hermione. I like your friend dearly, I just didn't realise she could like me. After what my father has said and done to her family-"  
  
"-Romeo and Juliet. Perhaps you could bring this feud to an end"? Hermione questioned.  
  
"I wouldn't want to. I'd marry her and take her name, I'd renounce my family." He added instantly. He'd been putting thought into this. Ginny flushed at his response. "But she isn't to know how I feel until we leave school. I just hope she still feels the same by then." Draco flopped down on his bed. "So what about you?"  
  
"What about me?" Hermione questioned, an eyebrow raised.  
  
"Who do you like?" Draco questioned, sitting up to watch the girl blush. "ME?!" He smiled broadly.  
  
"God no!" Hermione laughed heartily. "Just. Someone."  
  
"Harry." She shook her head. "Ron?" Negative. "Neville? It's Neville isn't it." He pinched her sides, which resulted her to double up in laughter.  
  
"No it isn't Neville and I'm not telling you. Ginny and I have made a packed not to tell anyone else. If either of us do their face will go bright blue." Hermione explained lying through her teeth. There was no way she was telling Draco she was in love with his Godfather.  
  
"Ok. I'll just have to keep my eyes out for who you stare at." He smiled reaching over Hermione to get the remote for the TV. His eyes caught hers. A slight attraction between them.  
  
"Ginny!" Hermione reminded, like a gallant friend.  
  
"Your in love with Ginny?" He questioned turning on the TV. She realised what that stunt was for, he was trying to catch her off guard. It wasn't working.  
  
"No you fool." Hermione lightly hit him. "I'll be able to go in a bit. I'd like to get the apartment to myself so I can get my stuff sorted. Why are we sharing with people?"  
  
"Ok." Draco said not even listening to what she was saying. Completely absorbed into an ice hockey game.  
  
Hermione didn't go back to her apartment that night. Once she had explained the rules of Ice Hockey she had fallen asleep with Draco. Her head an arms resting upon his chest.  
  
If only Hermione had told Ginny. She could then have believed that nothing did actually happen.  
  
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A/N I'm not too fused on this chapter, but at least it gets my characters into New York and sets up some new characters who will be vital in a few chapters. Sorry about Draco's rushed change in attitude. I think once I've finished the whole story I will go back and redo this chapter and chapter one.  
  
Shout outs-  
  
Cianna Greenwood: Nope, I'm not going to tell you what's going to happen. Mainly because I've only thought of getting out of New York and the reason why they leave early (There's a little spoiler for you. lol) Also I kept the character reference in the first chapter low as there is going to be a death in later chapters.  
  
That's all I'm giving you for today, guess your just going to keep on reading. Glad you are enjoying it though.  
  
Daintress: it is working for me well. I'm just trying not to fall into the trap of having Ginny POV/ Hermione in the Pensive/ Ginny POV in each chapter. It's also tricky when I'm having Ginny in the memory and watching the action, and I hope it's clear which one is which. I'm going to look at your stories when I'm next online as I'm offline right now. 


	6. Liberty

They had been in New York a total of two weeks. Hermione had slept in her room... Not once. She'd asked Snape why she had to share with the girls the next day at the first convention. He had explained that it was to get to know people from different cultures and see how their wizarding world differed from her own. After then, she'd hardly seen Snape. She'd spotted him on a few occasions talking to a beautiful youthful witch who Hermione immediately disliked. Hermione went into her apartment each day to get her clothes and if the girls weren't up a quick shower. Other than that she had spent all her free time with the boys. Just like at Hogwarts. Well, she was still learning about different cultured after all. She didn't see the problem with it being the opposite sex.  
  
Ginny was not pleased at all that every night Hermione had shared a bed with Draco. Talking long into the night about nothing and everything. Sure it was all innocent, and the majority of the time he had spoken about her, how long he'd liked her, When he realised and how there was no-one else for him. But why, every morning did they wake up in each others arms?  
  
The boys liked having Hermione in the apartment, she made them breakfast the muggle way. And for some reason it tasted better to them, all being of pureblood descent of course. None of them minded Hermione's background. In fact it was revealed to Hermione that Richard had a crush on her....  
  
"No!" Hermione laughed brushing her hair, preparing for sleep. "No way. Nobody likes me." Hermione blushed.  
  
"He's asked me to ask you on a date!" Draco was pushing. "He wants to take you... Erm. Ice skating?"  
  
"Miss Granger will not be going anywhere if she doesn't go back to her apartment right this minute." Snape came through the door. The first time they had seen him in two days. Hermione stood up. He was wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt.  
  
"Just saying goodnight professor." Hermione walked out of the room a sly wink to Draco letting him know she'd be back.  
  
Snape led her to her room in silence. She had no intention of opening the door while he was there. He pressed for the lift, it occurred to Hermione that he must be sleeping on the floor bellow.  
  
"Miss Granger?" He asked as she pretended to open the door. Her head whipped round so fast her hair fanned beautifully. Ginny caught the action in the reflection on the lift doors.  
  
"Yes professor?" She question hoping this procrastination would last until he got on the lift.  
  
"How are you finding the seminars?" He folded his arms over his chest and rested upon the wall. "Are they benefiting you at all?" Hermione's head raced. Truth be told she was bored. All she could hear was the three A's twittering in her ear as they were made to sit in their apartment groups.  
  
"Interesting." She lied shortly. Of course had Hermione been able to hear everything, she would have kept Snape there long into the night asking him questions about things the man had missed out.  
  
"Good, because I've cancelled your potions exam. Your final grade this year will be dependant on an exam based on this seminar." He smiled wickedly. It wasn't the first time Hermione had the impression he could read her mind. She wasn't about to give in though.  
  
"It'll be a piece of cake- Professor. Your lift." She pointed at the opening lift. "Sweet dreams." She whispered as the doors closed. While she was there, she thought putting the key in the door, I might as well get my clothes for the morning. As she opened the door, water and flour came cascading down. Sniggers came from the bedroom.  
  
"I love you professor. mwah, mwah. You're an over grown bat and I luuuuuv you." The girls sang together, it had clearly been rehearsed. With a quick swish of her wand her bag was packed and on her arm, she decided right there and then she would move in with Draco.  
  
By the time she had reached the door, her face was washed with salt tears, clumps of dough clung to her pyjamas. It was James who answered the door.  
  
"What the hell happened to you?" He helped her in. "Draco. It's Hermy." James shouted for Draco who came out immediately.  
  
"They do this to you?" He questioned once he used a clean-up charm. All she could do was nod through her sobs. "I'm telling Snape." He stood up to leave.  
  
"No!" She screamed, she wasn't letting him tell Snape that she was being bullied by girls who were two years younger than her. "Don't you dare."  
  
"He'll let you stay here Hermione." James reassured her, leading her to the couch. "He needs to know."  
  
"No, he won't let me stay here. He'll make me go back. Draco. Promise me you won't tell him?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Ok. But if it happens once more Hermione..."  
  
"I'll tell him myself." Hermione reasoned. "Can I have a bath please?" She asked. Draco nodded softly.  
  
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Snape was standing over then when they awoke. He faced contorted with pain and anger. Hermione blushed. It felt as if she was cheating on him. So much, it had never crossed her mind how it would seem to Ginny if she was to ever find out.  
  
"Uncle?" Draco asked coldly. He was about to defend Hermione.  
  
"Did I or did I not tell you to get to your room last night?" His voice wasn't full of anger, but disappointment. Hermione could have coped better if it had been anger.  
  
"You did professor." Hermione couldn't look him in the eye. "I'm s-"  
  
"Silence!" He shouted, shutting her up with a wave of the hand. "Now. Whatever has happen between you must end now. I will not have one of my students running from room to room making exhibitions of themselves. You are here to set an example and meet new people-"  
  
"I would have thought it would be more productive if myself and Draco mended ou-" Hermione boldly began.  
  
"You thought wrong Miss Granger." He hissed. "Get to your own room. Get dressed and meet me downstairs in half an hour. Try not to get yourself stuck in a lift as it's not an acceptable excuse." he explained. "Well leave Miss Granger." He said as she search the room. "Your bag is back in your room." Snape stayed in the room as Hermione left. Immediately Snape had began shouting. She could still hear him when she got to her room. She couldn't hear what he was shouting. She could just hear his muffled ranting.  
  
-----------  
  
"And she has to join us?" Ashley could be heard moaning from the bedroom as a teary eyes Hermione entered the apartment. She felt embarrassed that Snape had caught them. She's seen the hurt in his eyes. Perhaps she was mistaking it for feelings for her. If only he could have just taken house points from her. Then she'd have known it was just because she'd broken the rules.  
  
"That's what the big bat said. Him and Prof. Lovelace taking us to Liberty Island." She spat. Hermione's heart sunk. She thought Snape was taking her somewhere on her own. That was when Alice appeared from the bathroom drying her hair with an expensive cordless hairdryer. They didn't need to use the one in the bathroom. They had just wanted to annoy her.  
  
"So we have the mudblood and her sulky professor. Great" Alice waved the hairdryer about. Not noticing Hermione she whacked Hermione across the cheek with the heavy hairdryer. Hermione cried out in pain while the girls just laughed. "Sorry, didn't see you there." Alice smirked, continuing to dry her hair. Ginny's blood boiled, wishing she could tell Snape herself. After she had wrung each girls neck.  
  
Hermione made her way to the bathroom and looked at her swelling cheek. The impact was hard it had even broken the skin. Snape couldn't see it. He would ask too many questions. So with a quick spell it was hidden. She couldn't heal it herself, but she knew Draco could. Hopefully he was joining them.  
  
-------  
  
Unfortunately she was wrong. It was the three girls, Snape and the beautiful witch who appeared to be from Ashley and Alisha's school. who were going on the particular outing. Hermione sat fuming on the boat that was taking them to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. She hated sea travel and was glad once it was over.  
  
The Statue was breathtaking. It was a shame they couldn't go inside, but since the attack on the twin towers security was tight. Hermione hoped they could go to Ground Zero and pay her respects. Hermione had known someone who had worked on the thirtieth floor and had died when the incident happened. She remembered how she was moved that one catastrophic event could unite the world and even the worlds of muggles and wizards. The New York skyline had been transformed, but still held the ability to enchant all who visited. All at once Hermione understood why they were prevented from entering the statue, the statue represented freedom. Something she hadn't felt in a while.  
  
She found a spot where she could look over onto Manhattan and pulled out her wand. She enchanted the telescope to show her Draco.  
  
"What Hermione?" He asked shortly feeling her eyes upon the back of his head, equally hating his own trip to the National History Museum. Hermione paused for a minute to take in Draco's surroundings, no matter where he moved her vision stayed behind him showing her a full head of his growing blonde hair, which was starting to resemble his father's. How she wished she was there. "Hermione?"  
  
"One of the girls hit me. I have a big bruise." Hermione felt her burning cheek at the thought. "Will you heal it for me when I get back?"  
  
"Get Snape to." Draco realised why she was asking. "you haven't told him have you?"  
  
"No. I've hidden it for now but-" Hermione said as she felt herself loose grip of her wand. The connection was lost as her wand was in the hands of another. "Give it back." Alisha stood twirling it about in her fingers.  
  
"I told you. You owe me a wand-" She smiled vindictively.  
  
"And I told you, I can fix it." Hermione assured her.  
  
"My teacher fixed it thank you." She spat. "So I guess I'll just have to break yours." With that she flung the wand into the water.  
  
Hermione sat back on the boat, mentally cursing Snape for bringing her on this trip. She hardly ever saw him. The girls were mean. She hadn't learnt a thing from the conventions and now her wand was broken. She was able to levitate it using the power she had inside her. It was a struggle but finally she had gotten it out of the water.  
  
Not that it was worth it. She thought, exhausted from the power the spell had drained from her. She cradled her dead wand, thinking frantically where she might get a new one. So deep in all her self-pitying thought Hermione didn't notice Snape sit beside her and professor Lovelace the other side.  
  
"What is the matter Hermione?" Snape sounded bored at her sulk. His stress on the word is grated through Hermione. "Still upset I threw you out of your boyfriends room." Who on earth was he trying to impress with this act? Ginny thought at his sudden change in attitude. Jealousy, or was he really trying to impress the professor?  
  
"My wands broke." She spat.  
  
"Here, let me take a look. I'm Rebecca. I've heard a lot about you." The woman said taking the wand from Hermione's shaking hands.  
  
"Don't fraternise with the child professor." Snape warned. Child? Fraternise? Perhaps Snape didn't like her after all. Or was he just trying to remind himself it was wrong? Hermione thought, trying to keep the hope of him returning her feelings alive.  
  
"Hush now Sev." She winked at him while opening up Hermione's wand. "You've got the core wet. We'll have to leave it to dry out naturally. I'll give it to you once it's fixed. I promise." Rebecca removed it from site. "How did it happen?" She asked. Hermione thought for a minute. Tell the truth and have the nice professor side with her students. or lie and keep her a friend.  
  
"Does it matter? The girl shouldn't have had it out in the first place." Snape snapped harshly, he then noticed the bruising on her face. Once her wand had broken, the magic hiding the bruise had faded gradually. "What happened to your face Granger?" Hermione looked at the floor. "Now Granger!" He demanded.  
  
"Serverus, would you kindly go get us some tea?" Rebecca shot sharply. Without another word Snape sulked off into the boat to find the cafe. "Miss Granger." Hermione nodded without looking up. "Who did this?"  
  
"Alice." Hermione sobbed quietly. "The three girls in my apartment have been bullying me because I'm a Mud-" Hermione couldn't say it.  
  
"Hush. Hush." Rebecca hugged her. "They can be quite cruel." She placed her hand over Hermione bruise. Hermione felt a warm rush and then the pain was gone. Hermione looked at her stunned. "I don't need a wand." She explained. "And by the looks of things you don't either."  
  
"It drained all my energy getting it back. Alisha threw it in the water." Hermione laughed, the only thing that was stopping herself from crying again. "Do me a favour. Don't tell Snape, just tell him I slipped in the shower."  
  
"Ok." Rebecca eyed her cautiously.  
  
*****************************************  
  
"But I wanted to go to the play!" Hermione whined once Snape had told her she had no choice but to join himself and Draco at the Quiditch match in Madison Square Garden, the groups were about to leave. "You said we could choose." She said standing in the foyer.  
  
"That was before I found out you were bullying Professor Lovelace's students-" Snape snarled.  
  
"I haven't been bullying them." She eyed Draco. Warning him not to get involved.  
  
"She said that the bruise wasn't real and wants you to leave by the end of the week. The girls feel uncomfortable having you in their ro-"  
  
"I haven't even slept in there." Hermione screeched. Why was Snape being so harsh to her. "Fine. I'll leave right now then." Hermione made to go to the loft. Snape grabbed her arm.  
  
"You will come to the game." Snape hissed. "- And stop acting like a spoilt child."  
  
*****************************************  
  
Ginny didn't like this Snape. This wasn't the Snape that respected Hermione. This was the Snape she had known for five years, perhaps all that had happened between them was just a phase he was going through? Ginny sat silently, wanting to thump the overgrown bat on the nose and throttle that beautiful professor to death. how dare she put Hermione's character into question. Why on earth did Snape believe her?  
  
A/N: I'm not liking this chapter much either. Next chapter you are getting sweet Snape back....  
  
tall-freak- Thank you for your review! Once I'd posted the chapter, I re-read it myself and I was appalled at my mistakes. I'm fixing the problems right now. Looking after the Griffindors? Do you mean in Honesty and Absinth? If so I will go back and make it clearer as it's not really the Griffindors he's looking after, it's just Hermione. As for the three girls, I had a nice confrontation with Snape that explained why she was sharing with them, I just completely forgot, and then automatically assumed I'd put it in. 


	7. Madison and Brooklyn

Quidditch and Truths  
  
Ginny mentally fumed at Hermione. Ring side seats at a American quidditch game and she had her head stuck in a book. An extremely old, boring book without pictures. Games like these were not broadcast in England, indoor quidditch sounded so amazing. Unfortunately today wasn't the day Ginny was to find out.  
  
Ginny knew she didn't hate it that much, in fact Hermione had been completely torn as to which activity she would go to; choosing to the Broadway version of The Crucible in the end. Of course Hermione was the personification of cutting ones nose to spite ones face. Ginny thought lovingly of her friend.  
  
A few glances at Snape told Hermione, he was finding it as boring as she was pretending it was....  
  
************************************  
  
"- And the New York Rangers are leading 80 to nothing going into the third hour." The American commentator shouted proudly over the speakers. "But the Bulls seem to be fighting back- And- Yes. Fredricks scores the first ten points for the Bulls." The crowd went wild.  
  
"This game could go on for days! Even though the blasted snitch should be easier to spot." Hermione said not looking up from her book. It had in fact flown over he book twice.  
  
"Or even weeks." Snape replied coldly.  
  
"Well, we'll have a problem seeing I have to leave by the end of the week." Hermione looked at him, searching for some warmth. An apology.  
  
"Nothing is keeping you here Miss Granger." Snape scoffed. Hermione stood hoping to keep her dignity in tacked by not crying right there and then. She walked down the concrete steps and out of the open doorway with out a word to either Snape or Draco who was sitting behind her. It wasn't until she'd reached the escalators leading to the subway station underneath Madison Square Garden that she realised she was being followed. Snape grabbed her arm after watching her break down at the bottom of the escalator. She collapsed onto his chest and sobbed. She didn't care what his response was; he could be repulsed. Just as long as he held her. Which he did. This outburst had been welling up inside her for months. It had seemed to have melted his heart that had been in the deep freeze over the past few days.  
  
"Come with me." He instructed softly leading her to a subway platform. Hermione stopped crying instantly. She was never the one to make a scene willingly. They travelled in silence. The subway car was empty; it was nearly eleven at night and most wizards were still at the game. No one would be on this train.  
  
The journey was silent. Comfortable. There was no sense of awkwardness, just peace. Hermione could have stayed like that forever. Times Square came into view and Snape stood up. Hermione inwardly groaned. This wasn't the time for bright lights. Perhaps he was taking her to see the end of the play? She knew Broadway was nearby. When he took her up a flight of stairs down a corridor and back down a flight of stair, she wondered what the hell he was playing at. After a journey on the number 7 train, and a climb of steps Hermione was met with a breathtaking view of a massive building artfully light.  
  
"Not that Hermione." Snape laughed slightly, adding a short walk to their journey.   
  
She saw it. A thing of beauty. Brooklyn Bridge. Why did he bring her here? She thought as he carried on walking toward the bridge. Hermione stopped him at a small shop that had antiques in the window. Her eyes had been caught by a ring. One like her Father had bought her Mother as an eternity ring. Her Mother had lost it years ago. After a moment, Snape led her on, along the pedestrian walk way above the cars. Still in silence. Hermione was growing tense. She had things to say to him. But she didn't know how. She didn't know where to start. They stopped at a midway. The stone arch elegantly towered above them the chains that linked it to the next were illuminated by lights. Hermione had never felt so small and vulnerable. How can her heritage damn her so much when they could make such things of beauty? She took a deep breath as she knew what was coming.  
  
"It's amazing here isn't it? My mother brought me here as a child. It was her place, her calming place." He felt himself get sidetracked with his explanation of why they where at the bridge. "What is wrong?" He questioned leading her to the railing that overlooked the cars bellow, none aware that they were there. She had his full attention and she didn't know if she liked it.  
  
"Nothing." She automatically responded. "Everything." She couldn't cope with his gaze. Her eyes began counting the cars.  
  
"First you can tell me why you've been letting those girls bully you?" Snape asked. Hermione smiled genuinely, he'd known. "Do you really think I know you so little as to think you'd be bullying those girls. I was just disappointed in you." And Jealous! Don't forget jealous Ginny added, immensely engrossed in what was unfolding in front of her. Was this it? "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"What could you have done? You couldn't have stopped them from hating me." Tears slowly fell, her voice wavering. "You can't change who I am. There isn't a wand in all the world that would let you do that."  
  
"And who are you?" He questioned. His hand brushed her arm in reassurance. He was going to get it out of her if it killed him. And by the looks of her resilience it would.  
  
"A mudblood." She answered flatly. Confident with her description of herself, even if it hurt her to say it. At this, he placed a hand on either side of her giving her no alternative but to look deep into his eyes.  
  
"You are more than that!" He growled as if he was defending someone who wasn't there. Someone she was insulting. "You need to realise something. Witchcraft is a gift, not a birthright. There is nothing wrong with you, your blood or your family history." Snape showed a little disappointment, then a glint of realisation. "That's why you wanted to get away? You feel torn?" He had finally figured it out. She was torn between two world. He had seen it before. But not on someone so easily adaptive to the wizading world.  
  
"Yes." She said then thought for a minute. Her thoughts faulted her again. She had to tell him the truth. "No... I'm afraid." She cried. "He's going to kill everyone I love. He will kill my parents, I can feel it... I fear Harry won't see out this war. The Weasley's are good, honest people, the Malfoy's are murders who get all the glory, Lucius will be there till the end and the Weasleys will suffer.... And I'm helpless against it all. I am only one person. Who because of my choice of friends, or their choice of me, has made people I love a target." Hermione broke down. "Here I can forget. Here, Hogwarts does not exist. Here I'm small because the buildings are tall, not because I have the weight of the world on my shoulders and the burden of the boy-who-lived."  
  
"But you're still not happy Hermione." He returned to look at the passing cars. She laughed through her tears.  
  
"After those girls? They made me realise Voldermort's hand has a greater reach than I had thought, that or those witches are just plain ignorant." He flinched at the name. It recalled something in her, she scoffed. "And after the way you've been treating me?!" Hermione laughed against her better judgement.  
  
"The way I've been treating you?! It's been no different to normal." Snape looked at her curiously.  
  
"You have shown me respect these last few months. Today, with that professor-" Hermione began.  
  
"Oh. That!" Snape brushed it aside as if it was nothing. Hermione and Ginny, through her own tears, thought otherwise. "She was driving me nuts. Sorry if I seemed a little short!" He apologised.  
  
"A little Short?! You called me child, in the tone you talk to Neville. That was not a man who respected me on that boat. It seemed as if it was for her benefit? The bat form always more seductive?!" Hermione question, this meeting turning slightly sour. Acid welling up in her mouth. Days of held back insults at the tip of her tongue.  
  
"What do you want me to say?! I didn't want her to get any impressions-"  
  
"Of what?!" Hermione screamed, "That you have a strong acidic hatred of an insuperable mudblood. I think she got that loud and-" She never finished that sentence. He'd instantly showed her what impression he was hiding from the professor. He taken her in his arms and kissed her, under the light of the Brooklyn Bridge.  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
Sobbing at the recent revelation. She didn't know any of this had happened, she didn't know how scared Hermione was. Ginny blacked out the memory. She felt this was a private moment and should be kept that way. Hermione said that Snape didn't know how she felt. But that returned kiss told him all he needed to know. She loved him and never, ever wanted to let go.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
A/N: Sorry, didn't mean to leave it with a cliffie!  
  
seb1: Thank you for your comments. Yes Snape is OOC but, he's not really Snape, he's a mixture of Snape and a guy I know. Writers licence I guess. I'm just praying JK doesn't sue. lol. I looked at your profile, I will look at your stories but more importantly, check out www.popcap.com there is a game on there called typershark which I think you will enjoy.  
  
tall freak: 1998! Really do think I should re-do that paragraph. I'm glad you are liking my story and can critically review it. Look forward to hearing from you soon. Consider Snape well and truly hit. As for the roommates... perhaps I might have my revenge on them. Haven't decided yet.  
  
Domikins: If you almost cried at the last chapter, I hope you can see your screen right now. This, at the moment, is my favourite chapter. All though it is a bit of an anti-climax for me. I was expecting it to be different. Never mind as long as you like it that's all that matters.  
  
ahiwai: Now that really would be telling wouldn't it *pulls tongue* Could you see him married to her? Hope you read on to find out  
  
Celest-Wikit: Lots and lots of OOCness. I'm the first to admit it, but I'm just so happy that everyone doesn't seem to mind that much.  
  
*Hankies to all that need them* Gosh you can fry an egg on my face!!!!  
  
Next chapter: Woken early! That's all you're getting.  
  
Much Love  
  
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	8. Breakfast at Beacon

Breakfast at Beacon  
  
"So.... Rebecca Lovelace?" Hermione questioned, once Ginny had picked up Hermione's memory and hour later. The were seated opposite each other in the empty twenty-four hour restaurant outside their hotel. Ginny could only guess how they'd gotten home. Floated?  
  
"Draco Malfoy?" Snape returned.  
  
"Snape that's not fair." Hermione smiled sipping her coffee. "I asked first."  
  
"Serverus." He corrected. "Don't seem such a stranger to it. You seem to use it often enough-" Snape smiled wickedly. Hermione had a flash memory of Christmas night.  
  
"I told you to wipe that from my memory." Hermione kicked him softy under the table. "Your trying to side track me."  
  
"Am I so transparent?" He leaned forward, elbows on the table. His chin resting on his clasped hands. He went to speak, stopped and blushed. She eyed him curiously, she was seeing a new side of him "She fancies me." He said with out laughing.  
  
"Sorry." Hermione stifled a laugh. "And? You are a hansom man! Oh don't be so modest." Hermione liked being honest with him. Secretly wondering how long it would last. Was he just playing a game with her?  
  
"She's obsessive. If she found out that- you- anyone. They wouldn't stand a chance." He stuttered.  
  
"That what?" Hermione prodded, leaning forward. Her own elbows on the desk. He'd leaned in for a kiss just as the food was brought. The moment was lost. "So by you being so mean to me..." Hermione thought out loud once she had thanked the waitress. "You were protecting me?" He nodded. "Couldn't you have told me?"  
  
"Erm, yes miss Granger, I'm in love with you and I don't want the witch I think is a total psycho killing you. So I'm going to act like my normal self for a while." Snape intoned. Then realised what he'd said. Seconds later than Hermione and Ginny. (Oh, Snape you've made a big mistake getting married!) Hermione sat dumbstruck her soft cheese bagel dropped to the plate.  
  
"Love?" She managed to say.  
  
"So Draco?!" He returned.  
  
"You were jealous of him?!" Hermione questioned, taking up her bagel once more. Truth was she was starving. He refused to answer "Aaaaaa.... Wasn't just for her benefit was it? You were angry at me?!"  
  
"Herm-" She grabbed his neck and kissed him. "Mion!" He whimpered once he reclaimed his lips.  
  
"Did I kiss like I wanted someone else?" Hermione brushed aside a stray hair. He stood up. Her blood ran cold. Was she really that bad a kisser. She inwardly sighed a great relief when he moved to sit beside her.  
  
"I'm not sure." He grabbed her waist. He was hungry, for her! Tingling heat danced between them. Hermione felt whole. Was it that she was lost, or just alone? his kisses were slow, each one artfully created. While his second hand came up to her face, both her hands were placed upon his torso. Finally, they both parted. She'd never seen him so happy.  
  
"Serverus? Don't ever leave me." Hermione hugged him. "I love you dearly." A single tear fell.   
  
"My friend. My world. My darling, I will never leave you if it were cause you pain." Serverus ran his fingers through her hair.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
How on earth had Hermione not told her this?! Ginny felt betrayed at Hermione's happiness. Of course she was happy she'd got what she'd dreamed. But something must have gone wrong, Ginny could have helped her through it. With bitterness in her heart she returned to the whisps of silver that had moved out of the restaurant and where outside Hermione's apartment door.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"Goodnight, Goodnight. A thousand times goodnight." Hermione said as she went to open her door. "Blast." She rubbed her forehead. "They've put the privacy button on. Magical!" She sighed. "Shall I stay with Dr-"  
  
"-He won't be back." Snape snapped. Hermione eyed him softly.  
  
"They what do you suggest I do? Wait out here till morning?" At this he pressed the button for the lift and took her to his room. "Do you think this wise? A professor and a student?" She playfully giggled. holding his hand. Snape knew the teachers he shared with were still at the game. Never in the history of American Quidditch did a game last shorted than two days.  
  
"I will sleep on the couch." He replied opening the door to the bedroom. His bed was big enough for the Weasley family.  
  
"You most certainly will not." She said noticing her bag on the bed. "You could get my bag out. But you couldn't get me in?!" He innocently said nothing.  
  
"Shall I leave while you get ready?" He asked as she removed her black top.  
  
"Don't be silly."  
  
****************************************************************************  
  
Ginny wasn't sure what was about to happen and she didn't want to know. Well Hermione telling her would be different. But to witness it, was something completely different all together. However, it did seem to Ginny that their relationship would be based upon knowledge and friendship rather than one of lust.  
  
******************************************************************************  
  
"Hermione?!" Snape said softly, but urgently. Trying to rouse the sleeping girl was proving difficult. Her eyes fluttered open. Fear was in his. "Quietly get dressed. We are leaving." She noticed through the dimness that Snape was dressed roughly.  
  
"What time is it?" She asked groggily, pulling the duvet from her. They still had a month in New York. Did he mean leave the hotel.  
  
"Half four." He said leaving the room. She'd been asleep two hours. Quietly as she could she picked out a pair of jeans and a white blouse. Once she was ready she took her bag into the living area.  
  
"Leave it." Snape order. "We have to leave quickly." He clutched a roll of parchment in his hands. "We're going home. Muggle transport. A magical methods while be being watched!"  
  
"It's started?" Hermione asked. He didn't reply. With anger she ripped his shirt to reveal his mark. It glowed. "It has begun." She sighed, allowing him to take her downstairs and into a taxi.   
  
It wasn't until they were waiting at the airport that she realised who was missing. She looked down at Snape's hand. Clutched to Hermione's.  
  
"Where is he?" Hermione asked. Snape snapped out of his daze.  
  
"His father has taken him home." Snape sighed. "There was an attack in Madison Square Garden." He kissed her hand as they called their flight. "You saved out lives my love."  
  
As soon as Hermione was settled next to Snape on the plane she fell asleep. He'd removed the armrest between them so Hermione could nestle into him. She felt so safe. Even though they were on the brink of the final war, she knew love conquers all. With Serverus by her side, she wasn't just one girl. She was a power witch- Without her wand! She shot up suddenly an hour before they landed. Snape awoke just as suddenly.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked. "Hermione?"  
  
"My wand?! She still has my wand." Hermione explained. "I loved that wand."  
  
"We'll get you a new one my sweet. It was beyond repair anyway." He pulled her back onto his chest.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Please tell me we can apperate to Hogwarts?" Hermione questioned once they had landed in London airport. Snape nodded gravely. "Good. I'm just going to phone my parents. Won't get another chance-" Muggle technology was omitted in the grounds of Hogwarts.  
  
"I'd wait." Snape said cautiously. He was hiding something. Ginny's stomach lurched.  
  
"Why? I can't get in touch when I get back!" Hermione found his reaction absurd. Laughing at his behaviour. She walked to the nearest payphone and dialled home. The first time in years. Even in New York she had sent them owls out of habit. Something was telling her she needed to hear her parents voice. The ringing stopped. A familiar fragile voice answered. Ginny knew what Hermione had been told that had caused her to drop the phone, she hated that she hadn't been there for her. Her own memories replayed. Causing tears to well up.  
  
A/N Another cliffi sorry. Didn't mean to honest. Next chapter, everything is going to go wrong. And there is going to be a plot that has been inspired by my all time favourite Disney movie. metaphysical prizes will be given to those people who can guess.  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: As you've probably guessed, you are getting more of the horrible bastard soon. But there in lies the twist. Why? or should I say who?  
  
Crimson Regret177: Voyager (Paris- swoon), DS9(Bashir- double swoon)!!! *shakes hand* they both rock. Stargate's cool too (Daniels- little bit of a swoon) and I am looking forward to reading your fics. What about Enterprise though (torn between Read and Trip)? As for Orlando Bloom (Swoon overload)  
  
For my story, glad you are enjoying it and keep reading.  
  
It's 1 am when I finish this... Listening to the chill out on the radio, trying to get a dedication for Neil. But they are ignoring me! *sob* I'm in work at 9 am, but the plot bunnies will not leave me alone. Which is very bad as I should be revising for A-levels.  
  
Goodnight readers  
  
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	9. Back to Reality

Back to Reality.  
  
Sitting in Dumbledoor's office. Hermione wept in Snape's arms. Every now and then pounding her fists into his chest until she collapsed in another flow of tears. He was used to torture, this was nothing. He deserved it, and that's what made it hurt.  
  
"You knew my father had been killed?!" She said for the umpteenth time. "You knew in New York and didn't tell? That's the real reason we came home?" That was a new question.  
  
"No... Well yes." He brushed back her matted hair. Her eyes were stung red with salt tears. That hurt him more than anything in the world. "We believe you were a target Herm-" He was interrupted.  
  
"Snape you really are a FOOLISH little man." Dumbledoor bellowed, followed in by McGonagall. No twinkle in his eyes this time. "Please remove your hands from Miss Granger this instant." He refused. "NOW!" Snape did as he was told.  
  
"What were you playing at Snape?" The old woman said sitting down beside the weeping girl. Holding her softly. It wasn't as soothing as Snape. Hermione, and Ginny had a sinking feeling that couldn't be ignored.  
  
"What? She found out. You couldn't-" Snape began, bewilderment clearly on his face.  
  
"We do not mean the death of her father. You know what I mean man. Can't you keep it in your trousers just this once?" Dumbledoor looked deep into Snape's eyes. "She's a child-"  
  
"-And nothing happened. I did not take advantage." Snape hissed, standing defensively. "I declared my love. Nothing more."  
  
"And that will get you killed and make Miss Granger a target-"  
  
"Albus, don't fuck with me. She was already a target. As last night clearly shows!" He walked over to the desk where Dumbledoor was sitting. Hermione watched on helplessly. Pinned to McGonagall's side.  
  
"What happens when Draco tells Lucius? It will get back to Voldermort that you have a weakness. You can deny it all you want. But he will find out about your love for Hermione." Dumbledoor spat, repulsed by the situation. "And Miss Granger. I thought you had more sense!"  
  
"That's the beauty of love professor. All sense goes out the window." Hermione retaliated weakly her hate for the headmaster growing. "And there is nothing you can do to change what we've shared."  
  
"That is where you are wrong Miss Granger."  
  
"You wouldn't?!" Snape's head snapped up, Dumbledoor nodded. "I won't let you. Not to her."  
  
"No. Not just to her. To both of you." Dumbledoor said coldly. "I can't let you fall into the hands of Voldermort with the ability to betray the other. You are both too powerful to loose."  
  
"What?!" Hermione asked the stern professor who was holding her. "What's happening?"  
  
"We are going to remove you memories of-" It was all Hermione needed to hear.  
  
"No!" Hermione stood, and crumpled. She wept at the thought "They say true love is suicide!" Hermione looked pointedly at Dumbledoor, the ambiguity of her words were clear to all that were present.  
  
"I don't respond well to threats Miss Granger." Dumbledoor hissed. What happened to the man who liked is sugar? His smiled had been missing for the last few months. "I warned you not to take her Snape, you foolish, little man." He placed a pensive upon the table.  
  
"Now Albus?" McGonagall question, not at all happy at Dumbledoor's drastic actions. "The poor girl has lost her father. Does she really have to loose the love of her life in the same day?" She smiled at each of the loving pair. She saw something there that the headmaster couldn't.  
  
"You have until sundown. Minerva, we can not wait much longer." Dumbledoor whispered harshly.  
  
"Would you kindly take Hermione to my quarters please?" Snape asked McGonagall, clearly with unfinished business. "Stay with her until I return."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Hermione found Snape's room to be warm and inviting, despite its cold colours of green and silver.  
  
"How did he die?" She found herself blurting out, tracing her finger over the spines of the books on the self. "Why was my mother saved?"  
  
"Harry Potter is no longer unique Miss Granger. It is true what you said, true love is suicide." McGonagall paused, watching the fatigued girl sit at Snape's desk. "Your father protected your mother when Voldemort attacked."  
  
"An unforgivable?" Hermione asked. McGonagall nodded softly. "Does he fear me?"  
  
"I don't know." McGonagall answered. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Because he should!" Hermione looked at McGonagall who didn't like what she saw.  
  
"Don't get any ideas child!" She warned not noticing Snape appear behind her.  
  
"Am I the only one that sees her true potential?!" He paused. "She's no longer a child. She has a maturity beyond her years."  
  
"You were the first to notice Serverus. Always jealous you were in my house Miss Granger." On that note she left. Leaving them alone. Hermione shook with fatigue.  
  
"Here my love." He helped her up and led her to the lovers chair that was in front of the fire. Carved from black oak, two silver serpents winding round the curve that joined the facing chairs. He sat her down on the seat that opened to the fire; which he lit on his way to the adjoining chair. He sighed a deep sigh. "I feel like I am condemned to death."  
  
"We could run away!" Hermione suggested. Her hand reached out for his. He took it and kissed it.  
  
"One, or both would find us Hermione." Unless her eyes were deceiving her. He was crying. "What ever harsh words I will say. I'm sorry. I will not mean-"  
  
"Hush-" She put her hand to his mouth. "We will always have New York!" He kissed her outstretched hand. "Are they going to destroy our memories, or just hide them?"  
  
"Destroy-" He was whimpering. "Promise me something. You have to promise before I tell you."  
  
"I promise." She said instantly.  
  
"Don't go hunting for him." Snape grabbed her hand when she looked away. "You promised. You can't break it." He said just as the two serpents heads came to life and bit the occupants. Both winced at the pain, two spots of blood appeared in the creases of each persons arm.  
  
"Interesting chair?" Hermione enquired. For once he was glad of the questioning know-it all.  
  
"Wedding gift for my mother and father. It's traditional at a wizards wedding ceremony for them to take a blood oath. These to serpents are my uncles way of showing off." Snape thought for a minute. "It appears you are under oath to following my wishes."  
  
"Not if I can't remember." She said. "Why are they doing this to us?" Her head buzzed, she really did need sleep. But did she really want to loose the last few hours with Serverus? She looked at him, he needed sleep too. "Take me to bed Serverus. Hold me, let me fall asleep in your arms one last time." He did just that. They slept till dusk.  
  
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A polite cough woke them. It was professor McGonagall, she smiled sweetly not wanting to disturb the pair. They were good for each other. McGonagall had a sense Hermione was about to go off the rails in a bad way. Snape and Hermione were each others missing pieces. A balance of the strongest houses of Hogwarts. Although truth be told, both of them had aspects of each group. The sorting hat had a tough decision with both. However, Snape chose family legacy over what he really wanted. How things could have been different.  
  
"It's time." She said, tears welling up. "I'm so sorry. You two united could bring an end to this war. You both have the knowledge. Hermione has the fire and Serverus has the grace." She led them back to Dumbledoor's office. The pensive lay upon the table, ominous and frightening. Hermione clung to Serverus. He swooped her into one last satisfying kiss.  
  
"I will always love you." He assured her. His mouth reaching her ear. "I will remember. Love this strong can not be broken." He sat down at the seat Dumbledoor had placed in front of the pensive.  
  
"believe me when I say I didn't want it to end like this. I warned you about this. I tried my best to keep-"  
  
"Bite me old man! We have enough enemies without you treating us like this. If only Hermione hadn't made me ten times the man I was, I'd hex you where you stand." He looked back at Hermione, teary eyed.  
  
"I will forget you said that boy. For you will." Dumbledoor began removing Snape's memories. Slowly, Snape's head drooped until it was resting upon his chest. He was dead to the world. Dumbledoor placed the pensive into his draw. "They need to be sorted through." He explained to a perplexed Hermione, who was cradled by McGonagall. With a click of his fingers, Snape vanished. Dumbledoor gestured for Hermione to sit. "Serverus has asked that you keep your memories. He believes they are of a warrantable benefit to you. He also vouched for you that you will keep it to yourself. You will not try to remind him." Dumbledoor said in a softer tone.  
  
"How very kind of you." Hermione wore a face of stone. Dumbledoor moved from behind his desk.  
  
"It also means you can not tell Mr Potter or any of the Weasley family." He explained to her. "I will know if you do. Mark my words carefully child." Hermione nodded avoiding his eyes. "I am very disappointed in you Miss Granger." His tone reached it's harsh peek again. "With your muggle background, you should know that teacher/ student relations are strictly prohibited."  
  
"Of course. And damned either way! I'm, and I quote, `up the professors arses`, for trying to prove myself a worthy witch. But my heritage condemns me to racism and ridicule. You bat endless eyelids at Slitherins you know will end up fighting against you. And I disappoint you. You've just destroyed a good man. A man that made me strong, kept my world from falling down. He would never have betrayed me. Willing or none. Nor would I." Hermione paused. "I've had six years of being alone in this world. Now I wish I didn't know how gifted I was." McGonagall placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Your mother is in the Weasley's summer home in France. You are to join her in the morning. You will not return until the start of the September term. Mr Potter, Mr and Miss Weasley will join you at the end of the school year." His voice was so distant. So formal. It then changed. "My condolences Miss Granger."  
  
"My condolences to you... Your dead to me!" Hermione left his room, with no intention of returning to Hogwarts.  
  
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Ginny wondered if this counted as Hermione telling her. How would Dumbledoor know? Would he come barging through that door, hexing both of them. All anger of Hermione's secrecy faded. She would have told Ginny everything in very fine detail had she been warned not to. Perhaps Dumbledoor never destroyed Snape's memories, perhaps he had kept them until the war was over, which it still wasn't. Then he fell in love, and was now married. How much did Dumbledoor remove, did he still have feelings for her? The question that raised was, how long had he loved her?  
  
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A/N Bit of a dark chapter. Little bit of a change in Dumbledoor from the norm. Hope you like it.... Bit nervous about peoples reaction of him!!!!!!!!! Not sure how many chapters the summer holidays are going to cover before we get into Hermione's seventh year where I will reveal the lady who is about to steal Snape from our dear Hermione. Next chapter might just deal with Hermione and her mother consoling each other. I know there wasn't much mention of it here, but I think Hermione would still be in shock. Then with the whole telling off... What did you think of Dumbledoor not accepting the relationship? Most fics I read, he's all for it and is sometimes the one that brings them together. Had something else to say, but never mind.  
  
Crimson Regret177: Thank you again for reviewing. I must admit though. I'm more for Reed. That charming British thing he's got going on there. It's really winning me over.  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: Hope this chapter cleared up the fact that Snape knew, although it was just her dad that was killed, is was going to be both but I then remember she was in chapter one and it's too late to rewrite it now, although I like it better this way. Nope, wasn't Draco's father. However he will be the cause of something later on. I think it will be at least two chapters before we catch up with Snape again.  
  
sweetytweety013: Unfortunately you won't be able to guess for at least another two chapters, I didn't realise how long away the storyline will begin. But prizes for the attempt.  
  
If I have forgotten anyone, thank you for your review and I will give you a shout out in the next chapter. Chocolate frogs to whoever can tell me what is in the core of Hermione's wand. (Which I broke on her and need to replace.)  
  
Again it is 1 am GMT and My head is pounding. Plot bunnies are dancing round my room. Good night to you all.  
  
xxxxxxx 


	10. Bittersweet

"And, pray. Tell me what you are doing Ginny?" Hermione had been watching the girl for twenty minutes at least. Anger welling up inside her. Ginny looked at the reflection of Hermione, propped up in her bed. Ginny stammered not knowing what to say. "Would you like me to go down stairs and get you some popcorn?" Hermione intoned.  
  
"I'm sorry. I was just curious." Ginny whimpered turning round to face her friend. Ginny's face was splattered with running mascara.  
  
"Well, curiosity killed the cat Ginny." Hermione added with a disapproving look. "I asked you to look through my memories, not watch them. If Dumbledore finds out-" Ginny had come to join her friend.  
  
"-He won't." Ginny cried joining Hermione on the bed. "I'm so sorry you've had to carry this alone. I'm sorry he's married. And I'm angry, so so angry at you." Hermione laughed sarcastically at this. "You slept in the same bed as Draco for almost a month. I would have forgiven you if you had told me."  
  
"I couldn't. For his safety I couldn't..." Hermione paused, thought and then smiled. "How far have you gotten?"  
  
"You're on the way to France to our caravan! Dumbledore called it our summer home as if it was a castle." Ginny explained. "Mum took you didn't she?"  
  
"She wanted your Dad to take me, but thought I'd be better without a father figure on the journey." Hermione explained. "I'm still mad at you." Hermione smiled to tell Ginny she really wasn't that mad. In fact she was relieved someone knew the truth. A little too late.  
  
"We might as well look through a little more. It may be of some use to you... And besides." Ginny winced at what she was about to say, fearing the reaction. "I really want to see Snape's new wife- Honestly, that's all I meant to do. I just got side tracked."  
  
"It's ok Ginny." She led the girl back to the pensive.....  
  
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Hermione inhaled her mothers sent. Her father's still lingered on her. Hermione couldn't look into her mother's eyes as they embraced outside the caravan in France. It was in the countryside, no other people about. Molly had immediately made herself scarce.  
  
"My poor baby." Her mother's voice was now strong. Her body however wasn't. With her legs buckling under her, Hermione had to help her to a chair that was placed outside, facing the setting sun.  
  
"This is all my fault." Hermione wept as she took in her mother's extensive wounds. Her scar! A sort of V shape upon her collar bone. Her hand went to her mothers scar. "THIS, this is my-"  
  
"Do not blame yourself my girl." Her mother pulled her onto her lap. "This was meant to be. Everything has a purpose. What doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger. Now come inside and have some tea. I would love to talk to Molly. I haven't spoken to her for a while."  
  
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"I hated that she wouldn't talk to me about it. She kept changing the subject when ever is was brought up." The present Hermione sat upon the foot of the bed her knees tucked under chin sitting over Ginny who sat at the dresser, watching tea be made.  
  
"People grieve in different ways." Ginny suggested, looking at Hermione through the mirror. She was simply shaking her head.  
  
"But she wasn't allowing herself to grieve at all. She was trying to be strong for my sake, and I for hers. At the funeral neither of us cried if you remember." Ginny nodded. The funeral took place near Hogwarts were wards could be put up to protect everyone. "Mainly because I swore to myself I would never cry in front of Dumbledore ever again."  
  
"Did Snape turn up?" Ginny questioned.  
  
"No. Bastard Dumbledore sent him on a mission." Hermione spat.  
  
"That were he met his wife?" Ginny enquired. Being distracted by raised voices in the pensive.  
  
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"You will not speak about your father that way!" Elizabeth Granger shouted at her daughter. unaware that she was baiting her. "You do not speak ill of the dead." They were preparing a welcome home meal for the rest of the Weasley family.  
  
"Bet he died like a coward. Crying. Bet dad told him to take you?!" Hermione shouted, slamming a plate down. Molly had left the room when the voices had raised. Elizabeth threw a plate into the sink with a smash. Reminding herself she would give money to the Weasley's for it.  
  
"Don't even think your father would do that?!" Elizabeth starred her grown and bitter daughter down. "Stop attacking me because you blame yourself for not being there."  
  
"Have I have no choice but to think it. You won't tell me what happened." She screamed. The scream echoed through the pensive and all through Hermione's room.  
  
"Your father died." She answered coldly.  
  
"Where?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Our bedroom." Elizabeth broke down. "Three o'clock in the morning. There was five of them, death eaters. That's what you call them?!" Hermione nodded, if that was true. Voldermort wasn't present at her house. It was the mark of a death eater on her mother. "They had broken in without a sound. We didn't know they were there until they were right on top of us." Hermione could see it in her mothers eyes. She was reliving it. "They'd pulled your father out of the bed while they... they... he tried to put up a fight and killed your father instantly. He didn't stand a chance." Hermione cradled her mother.  
  
"While they what mum? What did the do to you?" Hermione questioned fearing the worst."  
  
"They raped me and branded me." It wasn't a V. It was an L. Hermione had questions she wanted to ask. But they were disturbed. By the boy-who-lived and his red haired best friend.  
  
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"They never intended to kill my mother!" Hermione was upon Ginny's lap. Both in tears. "Mudblood. They think us dirty, so they treat us like whores! I really needed Severus then"  
  
"That's why your mum wouldn't talk about it Hermione. Rape is something so shameful. She felt she was to blame. Don't you look at her differently now?"  
  
"No!" Hermione answered honestly. "I did. Like she was my child to be protected. Those death eaters did it on purpose. Voldermort had a plan. He wanted me to seek revenge."  
  
"And possibly get you side tracked! You became so bitter and full of revenge. I don't think your mother ever wanted that. They were Voldermort's army."  
  
"Least I knew they were killable Ginny. And I could get revenge without betraying Severus' oath." Hermione traced the feint scars that were on her arm. Her only tie to him that no one could take away, she would never betray him on that. "The hunt was back on."  
  
"But your wand?!" Ginny asked.  
  
A/N: Little short. Little darker. Next chapter is going to be longer I promise. However It might be a while before I post as the folks are getting narky that I haven't done any revision. Any help on the Duchess of Malfi would be greatly appreciated as my teacher doesn't have a clue. Label e-mails to the Get Cpt Crash out of big trouble and into her film studies course appeal. lol.  
  
Next chapter will deal with the relationships of Hermione, Harry and Ron. Mainly Harry. I hadn't intended this to be such a dark and bitter story but that's how I'm feeling at the moment. Dark and bitter.  
  
tall freak: I was a little OTT with the whole house thing wasn't I? lol. Toned it down in this chapter without having to change to previous. I'm glad you like mean Dumbledore, I felt so very wrong putting those words into his mouth. I'm glad I've sorted Snape out. I hadn't intended him to declare his love at all when I first began writing it. It was just going to be a bit of fluff about the incidents Hermione got into with him. Turned out as something completely different I guess. lol  
  
punkrock pixie: Big thank you, and masses of chocolate frogs. Your suggestion will possible fill the bulk of one of the following two chapters. What do you think of her making her own????? I know what two things I'm going to put in her wand. You'll have to read on to find out what. What I can tell you is, no innocence here.  
  
Crimson Regret177: I really didn't mean for it to be so angsty. I just let whatever was in my head flow. I was however in an angsty mood as it was the third time this week I have waited up for a dedication on the radio which they ignored.  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: I've woken up Hermione for you. She was going to stay asleep for the whole story. But I wasn't intending it to be so long, and I do believe if Ginny stays, there won't be a party to go to!!!!! Draco is going to be explained when we get back to hogwarts in about two or three chapters.  
  
Arallion: Yep, I did mean Ginny and not Hermione in chapter three. Big oops. I did have a feeling Dumbledore was spelt like that. I don't know why I wrote it the way I did. As for Spelling and Grammar. It's the reason I'm failing my English a-levels. I'm not good at spelling, and my syntax is poor because when I'm writing I'm thinking two steps ahead. Or in this case two chapters ahead. Thank you for pointing it out and I am at the moment revising my work.  
  
I've added my story to something called darksarcasm.com. If you would like to rate it, please do.  
  
Hopefully I'll update by the weekend as I'm now off to do my RS, English and Media revision. Once I go back to school on Monday. It might be a chapter a week, or one every other day when I'm lazy with my revision. Please keep reading. it will be worth it.  
  
much love. 


	11. A wand, a wand, a kingdom for my wand

The bell rang as Hermione opened the door to Mr Olivander's wand shop in Diagon Ally early in August. The shop was dark despite the sun that blazed outside. She had brought her mother home three weeks after Harry, Ron and Ginny arrived. Hermione wanted to see her mother settled in her new home before she left for Hogwarts. Hermione had realised if she wanted her revenge to go ahead as planed she would have to return. The new house was near Diagon Ally, but this was the first time in her time home that her mother had allowed her to venture out alone. Hermione mentally noted that she would need to hire a wizard to look after her mother.  
  
"Miss Granger?! Back so soon." Mr Olivander sounded shocked coming from the back of the shop, disrupting Hermione's busy thoughts. "I thought you would never need another wand."  
  
"Unfortunately, it was broken by someone." Hermione bowed at Mr Olivander. She admired his memory. "May I have a new one please."  
  
"Yes, yes of course. Have you got your old one?" He pondered, absentmindedly holding out his hand while looking for a suitable new wand. "You do have it don't you Miss Granger?" She shook her bushy head. Since she had found out about her father she didn't upkeep her straight hair. Although it was a little tamer. She supposed it was the water in France, it had been much softer. Everything there seemed softer. The calm before the storm. "My dear, do you know where it is?" Again she shook her head, clinging on to her summer bag that was clutched with both hands. He looked at her with those sad, thoughtful eyes. "I can't give you a new wand without the evidence that your old one is safe or destroyed. You know I would make an exception for you Miss Granger, however the Ministry have cracked down."  
  
"What are my options? I can't do anything without my wand, and I have no way of getting it back." Hermione explained. Her hopes dashed.  
  
"You can either, get one of your teachers to do a tracking spell on it. Go abroad to a wand making shop outside this ministry...." He paused, thought heavily upon what he was about to say. "Or, Miss Granger." He leaned in and whispered. "I believe you have the capability to make your own." He subsequently went missing for five minutes. Returning with a small pocket book. "This is all you need. Good luck Miss Granger." Hermione kissed the man on the cheek.  
  
"Thank you." She left the shop, almost knocking over Remus Lupin in the process. "Professor." He smiled broadly. It still appeared that he could do with a good hearty meal. Which, Hermione thought, she would be happy to provide.  
  
"It's Remus to you Hermione." He bowed elegantly.  
  
"I have a proposition for you Remus."  
  
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"You asked him to look after your mother?!" Ginny screamed. "You asked a man who became a werewolf every month to protect your mother? Were you mad?!"  
  
"Only slightly." Hermione smiled wickedly. "Snape gave him a potion that makes him docile. We had a cellar. With a few wards that he placed before his transgression, it was perfectly safe. To this day, he hasn't harmed my mother."  
  
"He still lives here?!" Ginny asked, wondering why this had never come up in conversation. Hermione inwardly smiled. "What?!"  
  
"I think they are in love. She could do worse? And although I'm not condoning it, I'm not going to stop the course of true love am I?" Hermione explained.  
  
"But you father?!" Ginny asked.  
  
"He always said, everything happens for a reason. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's not love. Just mutual companionship. All I know is I haven't seen either of them happy in a while. I also had another use for him. Yes, I could go to Hogwarts without the fear of another attack. I also wanted him to come to my old house with me... I couldn't go alone and I needed something."....  
  
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Hermione fell from the tree clutching a small and sturdy branch, eight inches long, perfect for her wand. It would be longer than her first. But it had more weight. Her core wouldn't require her to remove the insides of the branch.  
  
"So why did you have to take a branch from this tree?" Remus helped the girl from the floor. It had been excruciating pain for Hermione to visit the house. So much so, Remus hadn't seen the worthiness of the twig.  
  
"My father planted it the day I was born." Hermione explained. "I'm making the perfect wand. Everything needs to be relevant."  
  
"I still don't understand why you need one of my werewolf hairs?" He probed walking her back to the house. She was once again consulting the book. All she need for her core was something from her mother.  
  
"Innocence." Hermione answered swiftly. Remus giggled softly. There was something soothing in that giggle.  
  
"How can a werewolf be innocent?!" He rhetorically remarked. "Wouldn't a unicorn core be better?"  
  
"I meant robbed innocence. My wands main use is of vengeance and strength. My mother is my strength and I'm seeking vengeance on her behalf. I'm using the chain of the necklace of the chain she was wearing the night of the attack. It's feathered gold. You in the form of a werewolf represent pure strength. A hair of a werewolf is sharp but hollow." Hermione let herself rest for a small chuckle. "That's how I feel at the moment."  
  
"And the last?" Remus asked glancing at the page in which she's gotten the idea. She needed a trinity. One of blood. One of love and one of gift. "I'm guessing I'm the....?"  
  
"Gift!" Hermione answered, all to aware of him looking over her shoulder. She handed the book to him as they walked into the house for the last time. "Your protecting my mother. It's the best gift anyone could give me."  
  
"I'm honoured Miss Granger. Who is the love? Ron or Harry?" Remus watched Hermione go from pick to white.  
  
"Neither! I would tell you Remus. But, I'm bound to secrecy. He knows I love him." Hermione reprimanded herself. "He knew I loved him. I have something of his that I can put in."  
  
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"What?!" Ginny asked. "What was is? What did you put in?" Ginny grinned. Hermione blushed. "What?!"  
  
"The day we fell in the potions classroom. Once I got to my room, I found one of his hairs on my blouse. I put it inside my locket!"  
  
"Then you put it into your wand?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded. "I'd Draco's hair in mine!" Ginny daydreamed. "I'd make it out of my broomstick! The one I score the winning goal when we beat Slitherin last year!" She glowed. "I'd have something to do with you in it!" She said in all seriousness. "You're my strength and my confidence."  
  
"Oh hush.... Here. This is when I go to see Mr Olivander before I meet you on the train to Hogwarts." Hermione reverted Ginny's attention.  
  
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"This is a very powerful wand Miss Granger." He held it carefully. "A vengeance wand if I'm not mistaken. it's Illigal for me to sell this type of wand."  
  
"You are correct." Hermione smiled, dressed in her black uniform.  
  
"Interesting. Feather gold, werewolf hair.... and hair of bat?" Hermione laughed.  
  
"No. Human hair, although, I can see why you would be mistaken." Hermione giggled after handed the wand back.  
  
"What's the varnish dear child?" He asked smelling his hands. The wand was black.  
  
"My father's oil paint." She answered. "He loved to paint."  
  
"Be careful with that wand Miss. That could be dangerous in the wrong hands." He warned as another customer came in.  
  
"I'll put a security charm on it. Thank you for the book." She handed the small book back and made to leave.  
  
"Miss Granger?" He questioned as she opened the door. "If you are wondering about a career after Hogwarts..." He implied. She grinned broadly and left the shop.  
  
+_+_+_+_+  
  
Hermione sat back in a seat on the Hogwarts Express. Alone in the Head's compartment. Draco was Head boy, so where was he? Hermione wasn't relaxed at all. Although she was glad to get back to Hogwarts to see Snape. She also knew it would be bad to see him, want him and know she couldn't have him. The rapidly speeding landscape was making Hermione's head spin. She closed her eyes for a second. Her nightmare's came back to haunt her immediately. His masked face towering over her as if she were her mother. How the bastard would die by her hands. Hermione had thought of killing him with a unforgivable, but that was not justified. Her mother had been raped because she was a muggle. So he would die by muggle means. She wanted blood. However she needed to speak to Draco.  
  
Ginny knocked at the closed door. Hermione hadn't seen her as Hermione had gotten straight onto the train. Hermione smiled warmly and motioned for her to come in.  
  
"How are you?" Ginny asked sitting opposite the pale woman. "You look like you could do with some sleep."  
  
"I could and I will- Have you seen Draco at all?" Hermione questioned.  
  
"No! I thought he'd be here. I hoped he'd be here!" Ginny pouted. "He didn't come back at the end of the year either. I've missed you both so much. How's your mother?"  
  
"She's ok." Hermione smiled. "She said she's going to owl your mum. She really liked her."  
  
"What about you and Snape?" Ginny asked, hoping to get the gossip about New York. "Anything happen in New York?" Hermione didn't want to lie to her friend and was thankful of the interruption by Harry.  
  
"Can I have a word?" Harry asked timidly. "Private Ginny." He added harshly. At that Ginny left. Once the door snapped shut he began "What the hell is wrong with you?" Harry asked, Hermione looked at him. Shocked at his tone "I really need you here. You're being so distant. I had another face off with Voldermort at the end of the year. And you were nowhere."  
  
"Considered I'm sick of being needed? Sick of being your crutch? Helping you! You're walking round as if my mum has stolen your thunder because the rumours going round that you not the only person who lived." Hermione shouted. "We are in the same boat. We lost family to the cause-"  
  
"I've grown up with no family Hermione. My life had been much harder than yours. I never knew my parents." Harry was near to tears, as were the two girls watching. Hermione hadn't realised how bitter her words were.  
  
"Shame. Least you don't have to see your mother relive the night she was raped and watch my father being killed." Hermione flopped down on the bed. Not only was she grieving over the loss of her father. But her friend and lover too. "For once I could do with you being here for me!"  
  
"I didn't realise you felt that way Hermione." Harry said his heavy eyes closing.  
  
"You wouldn't. You've never asked." Ginny felt yet another pang of guilt at that. She hadn't asked either. Hermione. Still sat upon Ginny's lap saw it and gave her a reassuring cuddle. At that Harry kissed her. A passionate kiss for him. Torture for her. She wanted Snape to be the last man to kiss her. Harry's just a child it doesn't count, she tried to tell herself but it didn't work. He'd ruined it. "What?!" She asked wildly after she had pried him from her.  
  
"I love you Hermione. I want to protect you." Harry wrapped his arms around her waist. "I've had my eye on you since I first saw you."  
  
"If you had your eye on me, you would have realised that I needed space. I needed help and equal companionship." None of it was getting through to him. "I'm sick of giving Harry. I'm tired, and once this year is over. I'm going back to muggle life. I'm done with your fight." Hermione looked at him. "I'm having my revenge on those people who attacked my family and I'm gone. There is nothing left for me here."  
  
"You selfish little bitch! The amount of times I've saved you-"  
  
"Only because it was your bloody fault I needed rescuing!" Hermione lost it. "Don't ever call me selfish. I've supported you over the last six years, without question. I've sacrificed a lot for you and your war with Voldermort! My fathers dead because of it." She was making reference to Snape, unknown to Harry. "This is the end Harry. I don't want to know you anymore."  
  
Stepping off the Hogwarts express Hermione heard rumours that Draco had spent the summer at Hogwarts. Hiding in the dungeons with professor Snape, one fourth year student has heard gossiping. After a brief hello to Hagrid Hermione made her way to the invisibly drawn carriages. Ginny followed her into a carriage.  
  
"Did you hear? Draco's been here all summer. The attack on Madison Square Garden has left him disfigured." Ginny sobbed. "Will I still love him Hermione?"  
  
"You will!" Hermione hugged her friend. "Will you cover for me in the Great Hall? Say I felt sick and went straight to my room? I need to speak to Draco."  
  
"Of course!" Ginny nodded. "They say he's been staying with-"  
  
"Snape. I know." Hermione nodded.  
  
"Are you nervous about seeing him?" Ginny asked, luckily her own worry prevented Hermione from answering. Truth was she was petrified. She didn't know how to act. Or for that matter how he was going to act. "You will tell me if he really is bad won't you?" Ginny asked in a frightened whimper. Hermione just laughed and hugged her friend.  
  
Hermione slipped past the Great Hall with no bother. The it was a simple case of finding Draco. His Head boy quarters where down near Snape's anyway. Severus. She thought. I wonder if he's at the feast. It wouldn't be the first time he's have missed it. Hermione paused to fix herself. Her trousers were now creased and her blouse was crumpled. Her first attempt at straightening her hair again had gone wrong, resulting in her getting back first-year frizzy mess. She came to the potions classroom and could hear voices. She could have sworn it was Draco's She opened the door without knocking, her blood ran cold. Snape sat on his chair with a woman saddled upon his lap, her slender back to Hermione, sucking the life out of him. His nails scraped at her revealed back, deeper as his enjoyment grew  
  
Both of them sensed someone enter the room. Their privacy had been interrupted.  
  
"I told you to lock that door Sev!" The woman with long black wavy hair turned around and smiled wickedly at Hermione.....  
  
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"Oh my lord!" Ginny gasped knocking the pensive to the floor, spilling all Hermione's memories onto the carpet.  
  
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A/N Ok ok.... That was a deliberate cliff-hanger sorry. Hope this chapters ok. I think I can, hopefully wrap this up in about five, six more chapters. Question though, would you like to see the return of one or two of the three A's?  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: awwww shucks. *author blushes* Hope you like this chapter. I want the school work to go away so I can concentrate on this. I just hope I don't have put this on hold, because then I'll get too many ideas and get myself all confused as to what's happening in the plot. And if I'm confused god help you the reader. lol  
  
Kiddycat: Yep, chapter 10. It's pretty much been a chapter a day for me. Although school work is going to set me back. That and buying sex and the city season 4 on dvd. oops... revision.... I really can't be doing with the distractions! Never mind, writing is my life! lol Yep, that was why I was looking up love-chairs. lol  
  
tall freak: It was very rushed that chapter. I'd had a bit of a telling off (*sobs*) so I wasn't really concentrating. I know what you mean about the serious thing, and don't worry I'm not easily offended. lol. My friends don't like to read my stuff unfortunately, mainly because they're not good friends. But C'est la vie. Also my teachers in school don't help as instead of going through my stories and commenting on the grammar etc. they comment on my imagination. *rolls eyes*  
  
I think I'm going to carry on posting this and then updating it once its finished into a "special edition" kind of thing.  
  
punkrock pixie: A little short I think. I'm going to go come back to this chapter once the story is complete. Hope I've pulled it off. Eagerly awaiting feedback. *super gluing eyes open to finish story*  
  
Crimson Regret177: Very OCC! I agree totally. More of the normal bastard will be appearing. Hope you like this piece of angst! lol  
  
Cianna Greenwood: *blushes* Daily!!!! Wow, I feel like I have fans!!!! Hope you enjoy this chapter. 


	12. And Doppleganger Makes Three

And Doppelganger makes Three.  
  
"Oh. My. God." Ginny hyperventilated while Hermione used Ginny's wand to put her memories back inside the pensive. Hermione had returned to the bed a while before it happened. But was now on the floor catching silver shimmers. "Oh Merlin." Ginny whispered faintly. "Fuck!" She finally said before Hermione's attention turned to her friend. "She's- She's..." Hermione nodded. "You!"  
  
"I know." Hermione wiped a stray tear from her face. "That's why it hurts so much." Ginny joined her friend on the floor as the pensive began playing from when she had knocked it off the table.  
  
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It was if she was looking in a distorted mirror. Her boobs were bigger, her waist was smaller. Her clothes were too revealing. But the face. The face was identical to her own. The only notable difference being her hair was raven, and at the moment it much better condition.  
  
"I'm sorry professor!" Hermione tried to avert her stinging eyes. "I was looking for Draco."  
  
"On a first name basis with him now Miss Granger?!" Snape sneered delicately. Too overjoyed by his students embarrassment of the situation to be angry.  
  
"Aaaaahhh. So this is Miss Granger?" The accent was Russian and cold. The slender strange woman dismounted Hermione's man and walked towards her with a slight bounce in her step as if she knew Hermione was beginning to have the worst day of her life and was enjoying it. Hand outstretched. "I have heard much about you from my cousin." The woman implied shaking Hermione's cold clammy hand.  
  
"That was a funny way to say hello to a cousin!" Hermione gestured towards Snape, her shock giving way to a defensive attitude. The woman giggled. Hermione hated being giggle at.  
  
"GRANGER!" Snape warned. Rearranging his robes carefully. Hoping she hadn't seen him pull up his trousers. She had.  
  
"Sev is not my cousin! No, Rebecca Lovelace is my cousin. She asked me to give you something." The woman walked to the other side of the potion classroom. "That is why I am here."  
  
"I find that funny. Does Rebecca know of your relationship?" Hermione questioned bravely arms folded across her chest. Boldly propping herself on the cold stone wall. Mainly because her knees were weak and she was using all her effort not to cry. "I would have thought you would have stayed well clear of such an obsessive family." At the comment the woman returned and jabbed something into Hermione's hand. Snape looked at her blankly. How much of New York did he remember?  
  
"Your wand!" She looked at Hermione with such familiar eyes, there was recognition in those pupils. She knew Hermione, and it wasn't in herself. They were flashed with anger, but Hermione knew them not to be her own.  
  
"Thank you!" Hermione starred the woman down. "But I have a new one." Hermione snapped the wand in half with one hand. Snape scoffed. "What?!" Hermione asked, her eyes not moving from the woman in front of her.  
  
"How can you have a new one? You need to have evidence-" Snape intoned.  
  
"I have a new one!" Hermione insisted. She wasn't about to let him know that she had made it herself. For all she knew he'd go right to the owlery and inform the ministry. "So. You know me. May I know your name?" Hermione intended to look this woman up.  
  
"Countess Vanessa Kovoft!" Vanessa said proudly. "And I must thank you Miss Granger!" She interrupted Hermione's attempt to leave.  
  
"Why is that?" Hermione sighed wanting to leave as soon as possible.  
  
"If you hadn't have been so careless as to leave your wand. I wouldn't have met dear Severus." She joined him at his desk. Snape smiled as she blew hot air in his ear. Vanessa was still looking at Hermione at this.  
  
"I'm bored of you now Miss Granger. Please leave!" There was no pleasantries in the voice, nor had he intended there to be. She subsequently slammed the door shut. Ran to her own room. Once closing the door she didn't make it to the bathroom before she had thrown up. Her old broken wand was flung under the red sofa unintentionally as she reached inside her cloak for her new wand to clean up the mess she had made. Trying hard to remind herself that he had apologised for everything he was to do in advance. It didn't ease the pain she thought as she prepared for bed. She needed strength to reek her revenge. Hermione was beginning to fear that he was going to break her before she could lay her hands on-  
  
"Hermione?" Two worried voices came from outside the portrait. She sighed and let them in. Ron came in first.  
  
"I'm going to kill Harry!" He growled. "I've had enough of his moping. He's been all sulky since you left for New York." Not noticing Hermione blotchy face. Ginny however didn't. But she did get the wrong impression and while trying to stop herself from crying she shooed Ron from the room.  
  
"He's hideous isn't he?!" Ginny cried, not looking at Hermione. After Hermione didn't reply Ginny turned round to find Hermione weeping on the floor.  
  
"I've just walked in on Snape-" Hermione sobbed. "Having sex-" She wailed. "With a Russian woman." She wasn't prepared to reveal her appearance to Ginny just yet.  
  
"What?!" Ginny hugged her friend, leading her to Hermione's bed. "Oh hush dear."  
  
"He was so horrible to me as well." Hermione clambered into her bed.  
  
"Isn't he always sweetie?" Ginny asked, oblivious to the past few months. Hermione mused upon the question and nodded sadly. "I'm going to have to go." She kissed Hermione's forehead. The moment she opened the portrait, Dumbledore appeared in the doorway. "Headmaster!" Ginny ran as fast as she could to the Gryfindor tower. It was seconds before curfew. Hermione hadn't realised how long she had been in the shower. Then again, she thought, I was throwing up for quite a while.  
  
"Miss Granger?" Dumbledore was at the foot of her bed looking disappointed. "I thought I made the terms clear!" He shouted. Hermione looked confused. "As soon as you set foot into the castle. You make your first priority to seek our esteemed potions master out."  
  
"I was, as a matter of fact searching for Mr Malfoy. It just so happened that I thought I heard his voice in the potions classroom and-" She stopped herself dead not wanting to think about what had happened.  
  
"One more trick like that and I will send you home."  
  
"You two are too powerful to loose." Hermione mockingly muttered. "You send me home and Voldermort is in these walls!" Hermione hissed. Her hand twitching for her wand that lay under her pillow. "Now if that's all you came to do. Please leave me alone. I have a busy day tomorrow." He went to leave. "Oh and don't forget to take an acid drop!" With one flick of her wand a bowls of sweets appeared in front of the headmaster. He wiped them away as if they were smoke.  
  
"Be careful Hermione." He replied as he opened the portrait. "I don't like this game you're playing."  
  
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Hermione scanned the crowds for Draco. He was no where to be seen. She was so preoccupied that she didn't notice her timetable flutter into her breakfast. She inwardly groaned as she saw: triple potions. One good thing, it was still with Slytherin. She took a moment. She never thought she would be glad to have a lesson with Slytherins. However she was so desperate to talk to Draco that she could take the persecution of the others. Would Draco still acknowledge her? She could only hope. Swallow her stomach of butterflies and face the potion lessons.  
  
Hermione was unfortunately late, waving away the ten points from Griffindor. Receiving a detention for her insolence. She heard it. Draco's cackle, he wasn't as repulsive as Hermione thought he'd look. Although to was clear that his nose had been broken, and there were deep circles under his eyes, he appeared on the most part unscathed. Hermione sighed as she sat down at the remaining seat. Snape came up behind her.  
  
"Saved that seat just for you." He whispered into her neck, sending unwanted shivers down her spine, understanding his implications. This was the seat he had been sitting in. She almost slept through his seventh year speech that had only increased in venom from the previous. She wasn't going to give into his velvety voice. Once the potion was put on the board she could begin getting Draco's attention. Which proved harder than she thought. Eventually, into the second lesson. Hermione scribbled down a meeting place between this and next lesson. She folded it up and secured it in her hand. Hermione then pretended that she needed something from her cloak, tripping so elegantly into Draco's lap. Slipping the note into his hand.  
  
"Get off me mudblood!" Draco drawled. Warmth in his eyes told her he didn't mean it.  
  
"Miss Granger! Return to your seat!" Snape hissed loudly.  
  
"Yes Severus." She muttered absentmindedly. Her hand went to her mouth. Too late, she thought. You didn't catch it in time. Maybe people didn't realise? She dared to look round. Nope, they all heard. Including appalled looking Ron and Harry.  
  
"Think you are being funny?!" Snape intoned. Hermione let his rant and endless detentions wash over her. Wondering why she wasn't looking forward to spending as much time with him as possible. Just make it to break, Hermione begged herself.  
  
_+_+_+_+  
  
"What is it?" Draco asked appearing in a courtyard that he had trouble finding. "What's wrong?" He repeated after he briefly hugged the girl. "What? I really can't be seen with you" He repeated a little shortly. Hermione had been distracted by the feint scars on his face. He had been through the wars.  
  
"Why have you been here?" Hermione questioned.  
  
"Father threw me out- He's ok with me now. He was angry that I slept in the same bed as you." Draco explained as Hermione's hand flew to his mouth. "Bloody godfather. He promised he wouldn't tell him, but he did. Dad beat me up. Snape brought me here for the summer." Draco finished. "Hey, don't blame yourself H. Now. That's not why you brought me here?"  
  
"I'm going to kill you father!" Hermione whimpered. Draco wore an expression between bemusement and fear. "He raped my mother while his friends killed my father!" She sobbed into his chest.  
  
"I'm sorry Hermione." He stoked her back. Ginny watching stiffened at this, but a reassuring glance from Hermione helped her relax. "But... Not that I don't believe you. It's just... I think you're wrong."  
  
"What if I'm right?" Hermione questioned looking into Draco's lost icy eyes. "What if he was sent by Voldermort to rape and kill my only family?"  
  
"Then I will kill him!" Draco assured him.  
  
"Draco? Please either find out if he did do it. Or," Hermione thought. "Give me five minutes with him. Draco. The person who raped my mother branded her with the letter L. I'm not just jumping on the hate wagon. My mum said they were death eaters."  
  
"Fair enough. And I'm not trying to protect my father. I'm trying to protect you. What if you did kill him, and you found out it wasn't him. You'd never forgive yourself." He hugged her again. Just as Snape came through the courtyard doors.  
  
"Tut tut. Dear nephew, conversing with a mudblood, what would your father say?!" Although Snape's tone was of insults. He was wearing an expression of pure mortification. It faded so quickly that Hermione thought she had imagined it.....  
  
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"You could still make him jealous!" Ginny squealed. "He had that Vanessa. But he still wanted you."  
  
"But she won. He married her!" Hermione whispered as someone appeared in the door, fuming at Ginny.  
  
"Ginny!" Molly stood, arms folded in the doorway. "You said you were going to be five minutes. I've been waiting three hours."  
  
"I'm sorry mum!" Ginny looked at the floor. "Can you give me five more minutes?" Her mum just stared. "Ok. One minute to talk to Herm?" She nodded softly and closed the door. Did she know more than she was letting on? "I got to go." There was a long pause. Ginny really didn't want to go and Hermione really wanted to.  
  
"Mr and Mrs Snape will not like to be kept waiting Ginny." Her mum shouted from downstairs after they let a five minute silence pass them by.  
  
"If it was my wedding. I wouldn't mind waiting!" Hermione laughed weakly.  
  
"If it was your wedding. I wouldn't be here!" Ginny stood and went to the door. "Are you going to be ok?" She asked opening the door.  
  
"I'll be fine!" With that Ginny closed the door with a snap and Hermione was alone once more.  
  
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A/N: I like this chapter. Don't know why. I unfortunately have no ideas what is going to happen in the next chapter so I need ideas. It's going to take place at one of Hermione's detentions. Should it involve Vanessa or Snape? Or both? Let me know in a quick review.  
  
SlytherinGin: mwhahahahahaha.... Sorry. Will not do the cliffi again if I can help it. Do you like it though? Please tell me that cliffi aside you like it????  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: Hope this cleared up why he stayed with Snape. It'll be a while before you find out what is with Dumbledore. Hermione doesn't really know what's going on between them. So because she doesn't no, you don't get to. *pulls tongue and smiles* Hope you like this chapter though.  
  
ivre: aw shucks. I didn't mind that reviewed almost every chapter. I loved it in fact. *blushing* As to your reference to Robin Hood POT. Alan Rickman is my God. Orlando bloom is my Demi-god and Alan is Zeus. That voice... The only one that could rival it is Vin Diesel and that's at a push. btw, am I the only person who thinks David Beckham should have a voice like Vin instead of the Pepsi squeak he has? Hope you like this chapter. 


	13. Sleeping With The Enemy

Hermione hesitated. Hovering over the pensive. Did she return her memories or destroy them? However, Ginny had taken her wand so she could do neither. Did she really want to look over the next few torturing months? She resolved that she would, perhaps seeing through news eyes would help her figure a few things out.  
  
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"You're pretty dressed up for a detention?!" Harry caught Hermione on her way to the dungeons. If Snape wanted a look a like. She would just have to show him that the original was better. Her long flowing skirt hugged her waist. Her green top came short of her stomach and was cut in a low V, something Hermione was now embarrassed of wearing as she knew how the night would end. "Then again. You are what you hang with! Sleeping with the enemy I see." Harry had caught Hermione with Draco right after Snape did.  
  
"Shove it Potter!" Hermione ignored him continuing down the stairs. Draco had promised that he would get her close to his father some time before Christmas. All Hermione had to do was wait. Something she hated.  
  
When Hermione entered the classroom. Snape was alone, she noted that he had grown his hair back. A quick grow potion Hermione noted. He still had his short spikes yesterday. He was marking papers. Once again he sensed her before he saw her. This time she was full of hatred and determination. He was, however unsure as who it was directed to. Looking up, breath catching in his chest his trousers expanding. For a split second he thought it was Vanessa. Why was he missing something about the way she was looking at him. The expression was clear upon his face. Both Hermione's mentally told him it was deja vu he was feeling. Amnesia. Whatever he wanted to call it. The feelings were still there. But Hermione feared because of his `education` with Vanessa that look he gave her was of pure lust. Not her Severus who wanted her for her mind as well as her body. She feared the monster in front of her. She hoped he couldn't sense it. The present Hermione who was not lost deep in thought noticed that he did sense it.  
  
"Granger!" He coughed her out of her thoughts. She nodded. "Cauldrons." He stepped over to her and reach behind her to retrieve her wand. Paused. His face in such close proximity she hoped that the perfume that she was wearing tonight, the same one she wore on the night he proclaimed his love, would trigger a memory. "No wand." He whispered. Mouths almost touching. He reached inside her skirt were he knew she kept her wand when she didn't wear a cloak.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I was you." Hermione warned, not moving his hand that had paused on her hip.  
  
"I why would that be-" He didn't get to finish before he recoiled his hand dropping her new wand. "What the fuck?!" He nursed his hand. Remembering he was a teacher he straightened. "Your wand?" He eyed it with suspicion as she picked it up. His eyes brightened. "You made it yourself? There is so much dark energy in that wand." He thought. "You trying to bid for the other side dear mudblood!" He mocked coolly. She took a step closer to him. Invading his personal space. Was that confidence he could sense. He had known better to call her a mudblood.  
  
"Now why would I want to join the fuck-wits who murdered my father and raped my mother?" She starred him down. He felt as if she was classing him as one of them and was about to kill him there and then.  
  
"So we have your pitiful fathers death as the reason for your attitude?" Snape returned to his desk.  
  
"That and walking in on the ugliest teacher in the word fucking the brains out of someone who looked like me. It would fuck you up royally as well... oops then again. You have to look in the mirror everyday!" Hermione, in hindsight realised that was the worst thing to say. She implied she had no feelings for him. After months of mixed messages from him she should have realised how confusing that was. And it hurt. Both Hermione's. Saying it and hearing it being replayed. Yes, he had struck a nerve and in return she had struck a blow.  
  
"Cauldrons. NOW GRANGER!" He roared. Unable to come back with a suitable insult. "No wand!" She moved swiftly to the row of cauldrons and began cleaning them Five minutes and three cauldrons later. Snape appeared behind her hissing into her ear. Pressing his body close into hers. Cocking his head into the nook of her neck.  
  
"Where you just jealous it wasn't you?!" He rhetorically hissed. Did he know she felt the same, could she still bring him back? She had to stay strong. This wasn't love he felt anymore.  
  
"That's all you can come up with? Five minutes, and that's all the venom you can come up with?" Hermione mocked. He spun her round. She waved her hand over the remaining cauldrons. Collapsing instantly on his chest. That wasn't in the plan. She was trying to show off instead she was feeling weak. He was mesmerised.  
  
"Where's your wand?!" Snape asked. Hermione pointed weakly to the end of the table clinging to his robes to keep her up. "Where did you learn that?" Hermione shrugged still feeling weak from the surge of magic had run through her body. She would not be trying that again anytime soon. "You really are a powerful witch Miss Granger." He hesitantly bent down to kiss her-  
  
"Darling!" Vanessa came in through the fireplace. Hermione eyed her with suspicious. Her appearance was too much of a coincidence. Snape darted to his partner. Vanessa noticed the wand before Snape got to her. "What a pretty-" She knew what the wand would do. Both Hermione's knew it. She was playing a game. Of over reactive drama queen. She fell to the floor with a thud. "That thing is dangerous!"  
  
"Granger." The hardness returned to Snape. "Remove the ward on this wand at once." He ordered.  
  
"Are you kidding?!" Hermione picked up her wand. Snape grabbed her arm tightly. "No. This wand is too powerful. What if it ever got into the wrong hands?" She looked pointedly at Vanessa. Sprawled unladylike across the floor.  
  
"You remove the ward. Or I destroy it." Snape warned simply.  
  
"You could try!" Hermione baited. "The ward is simple enough. Either blood or trust can use it. Seeing as you're clearly neither. Don't touch my wand." Hermione looked down at his hand still griped to her arm. "Or me!"  
  
How badly she had handled that night. How differently everything could have gone. But at least she finally found out who Vanessa really was. An hour after being in her room. She was summoned to Dumbledore. Who was growing more vicious with each meeting. This wasn't him. Not at all.  
  
"Miss Granger!" There was blazing fire in his eyes. The now Mr and Mrs Snape sat together were Severus and Hermione had once sat. "Sit." He pointed to the chair in front of him. "It has come to my attention you have a wand that is not registered with the ministry."  
  
"I was unaware that wands were registered headmaster." Thankfully Hermione had gotten changed into a more simple attire. Vanessa wasn't the only one who could play the innocent. Snape scoffed. Hermione turned round and scowled at him. "I will gladly register it."  
  
"You knew Granger." Snape hissed. "Dumbledore, this is not why we are here." Snape didn't want her to loose the wand.  
  
"Yes. Would you kindly remove the wards?!" Dumbledore asked kindly. Hermione shook her head. "And why not?"  
  
"What happens if a first year gets hold of it? It could kill them, or anyone in the vicinity." Hermione explained. Dumbledore couldn't argue. A small glimmer of his old self coming through.  
  
"What about a child protection charm?" Vanessa interrupted glaring at Dumbledore. It was her, she was controlling him.  
  
"A child isn't determined by age. I thought hard about my choice of ward, I feel this would warrant most protect." Hermione hissed. She hated to have to justify herself.  
  
"Snape. A word outside if I may!" The two men left the room.  
  
"Who the hell are you?!" Hermione questioned. "Your no countess. That's for sure. She's a hundred years old." Vanessa stood up.  
  
"You want him. By all means try and take him." She towered above the sitting Hermione. "If he kisses you, before we marry you can have him!" She smiled. Married? Did she really mean it. All she had to do was kiss him. Unfortunately the Hermione watching knew that Vanessa wouldn't do it. "I'd wrap him up in a coffin for you!" She cackled. "Shame he can't remember what happened between you two. Would make life so much easier for you." Hermione went to reply as the men returned. She knew everything. How?  
  
"Miss Granger. I'll take you back to your room." Dumbledore held out his hand. Hermione stood slowly giving her an opportunity to fix Vanessa with a cold stare.  
  
"How long have I got?" Hermione questioned. The two men looked bewildered. Vanessa stood to join Snape.  
  
"Oh... All the time in the world!" She smiled. He hadn't proposed yet thank god. With that Hermione allowed Dumbledore to escort her home. Down the second floor corridor that led to her room Dumbledore spoke up.  
  
"I've asked the professor to find the Countess somewhere else to stay. It's obvious her presence is distressing you dear child." Dumbledore said smoothly.  
  
"It's not distressing me. It's confusing me. How much of a hypocrite can you be?" Hermione stopped dead. "You say that if Voldermort finds out he has feelings for me I become a target. But look at her. She is me!" Hermione sighed. "And you. You're so different... I think you're being controlled. You wouldn't allow him to be with her. You'd have done the same as you did with me. Voldermort is just going to think that she's taken Poly-" Hermione thought about what she was saying. "Polyjuice!" Hermione was deep in thought. Dumbledore coughed. "And he will still come after me!" Hermione explained half heartedly.  
  
"As much as it hurts Miss Granger. He's in love." They continued to walk. "And as for your thoughts on me being controlled. You forget I'm a powerful wizard. And I check everything I consume." They approached Hermione's door. "Forget the professor! Find someone your own age. Perhaps Harry. Good night child." He kissed her forehead.  
  
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He was still being controlled to this day. A long conversation with professor McGonagall had her suspicions proved. However much McGonagall tried. She couldn't trace the source of the drug being used to control the headmaster. McGonagall had reasoned that while he was still performing his duties as a head master correctly there was nothing to be done. Hermione agreed. And also noticed that once Vanessa had left the castle his harshness towards Hermione waned although it was still present. It appeared to Hermione that although the headmaster's overall reaction was presumably due to Vanessa, he still wouldn't approve of the match had he been of sound mind. All that remained was to find out who she really was and how to prove it. She had her suspicions. Who on earth could she talk to on the properties of a polyjuice potion?  
  
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A/N What you think? Any ideas for the Disney movie yet?  
  
punkrock pixie: I'm not sure about her appearance at the wedding party just yet. But she will be making an appearance at a party in a chapter that's about to come up. She still might make an appearance... but I know how it's going to end so i'll just have to see if it'll fit in. I'm wondering about a sequel as well. But it'll be during the summer that I do that as well as my Enterprise sequel which had been promised in January.  
  
QueenBonnie: PS. If you allow all reviewers, you'll surely get more reviews ...? Unfortunately I didn't understand this, can you explain in another review? (and honestly it's not a ploy to get you to review again! lol). As I would love as many reviews as my mail box can hold. It makes my day to here those three words. `you've got mail` lol. Should I really get them back together? Do you want a really happy ending?! Thank you about the OOCness of my story. *blushes* Hermione's pensive would be a nice gift. But his own would be better mwhahahahahahaha.  
  
tall freak: How so is FF evil? Revenge is coming. Happy ending? What's one of those???? Yes, there is going to be a happy ending. I couldn't put Hermione through this and not give her back her prince. lol.... *hands out chocolate frogs for noticing the mistake* 


	14. Knock Him Dead

Give me something for the Pain.  
  
Sweet November rain trailed down Hermione's bedroom window mid week. Nothing interesting had occurred between her and Snape since Vanessa left. What was the point in taking up her offer to see Severus being killed. Hermione had missed dinner. Again. Deep in thoughts as to the polyjuice potion, she had ignored her stomach until it was much too late. No book could tell her if a person could sustain excessive use. A knock at her door disturbed her. Dressed in flowing autumn coloured robes she open the portrait.  
  
"Professor!" Hermione smiled at her head of house who held a tray of food and a flask of fire whisky. Hermione raised an eyebrow at the flask.  
  
"I trust you Hermione. It's just a tickle after all." She looked like a school girl in the need of a good gossip. Hermione led her to the living room pulled out two glasses. Professor McGonagall subsequently filled each to the brim. "A trick I learnt from you Miss Granger." She winked. "Now tell me what is troubling you my dear child. You seem like you need to ask me something!" She settled back into the deep red cushion on the couch. "No doubt this is about Severus and his hussy!" Hermione genuinely giggled at this.  
  
"You've seen her?!" Hermione asked retrieving a sandwich from the tray. She then cuddled herself up on the chair. McGonagall snorted. "Then you've seen the resemblance?" McGonagall nodded. "She is not the Countess. And I believe she's the one who has her claws into Dumbledore. The thing I wanted to ask is. Can you use polyjuice for an extended length of time?"  
  
"No!" McGonagall thought. "Most certainly not! It's a quick fix. Nothing more. Is that what you think she is doing? Impersonating you?"  
  
"Yes. I believe she is a woman named Rebecca Lovelace. She... We met her in New York. She was a bit obsessive about Severus. He said he was worried she'd kill me if she found out he loved me-"  
  
"He said he loved you?" McGonagall's mouth hung open. "Severus? The man with no soul said he loved you?"  
  
"Yes!" Hermione smiled. It soon faded. "He'd found his redemption in me. For someone like me to love him back, regardless of his past mistakes, freed him. And for someone like him to be prepared to protect and love me, the world seem much more manageable." Hermione let a tear flutter down her face. "Professor. If he gets married-" McGonagall pulled the girl to the couch.  
  
"Hush." McGonagall whispered, Hermione sensed there was something she wanted to tell her.  
  
"What is it Professor?" Hermione asked. "Why are you here. It's nothing to do with me and how I feel."  
  
"He's turned. Or turning. I think Vanessa is a Death eater. If they marry we'll loose him completely. Albus had made the biggest mistake. I'm not saying I totally approve of you two. However....."  
  
"I understand, that explains him calling me a mudblood." Hermione sighed. She had never thought she would have heard it from his lips. "You haven't heard about him proposing have you?" Hermione questioned. McGonagall looked grave. "When?"  
  
"Christmas day. I know what Albus said. But you have to get him back! Don't let her win." McGonagall explained. "You haven't heard half the things he did when he was a death eater. He's tortured himself for years for what he's done. I don't want the poor boy to go through it again."  
  
"Then how do I get this Rebecca person to change back?" Hermione asked. She then thought. "What did Dumbledore do with his memories?"  
  
"Honestly I don't know. But I'll look for them. This has gone on long enough." McGonagall hissed. Hermione thought about what she was about to ask.  
  
"Will you lend me a dagger from weaponry?" Hermione had plans for it. "A small one!"  
  
"Why?" McGonagall asked sharply. "What have you got planned?"  
  
"Practice! I know who raped my mother!" Hermione answered, She saw the look on the older woman's face. "I'm going to kill them. There's nothing you can do to stop me. If you don't give me one. I'll steal one. Or better yet, I'll make one." McGonagall nodded gravely. There was nothing else she could do. "Thank you."  
  
"We have a Christmas Ball coming up at our house." Draco smiled. Back in there usual meeting place at the beginning of December. All evidence of scars had faded "You can speak to my father there."  
  
"A ball?!" Hermione mocked. "How will I get in? You're father's cronies will recognise me. I'd never get close enough. Besides, your father would kill you if ever found out it was you who let me in."  
  
"It's a masked ball!" Draco added. "I'll say you're my date from Slytherin." Draco smiled weakly.  
  
"But he'll still end up finding out it's me. He know it was you who got me in." Hermione worried. "This is too big a risk. What if I'm wrong. He will kill you. We know he has no problem in that department." She pointed to his still deformed nose. Although it did give him more of a roguish look about him. Hermione reprimanded herself. She could not be thinking that her best friends crush looked sexy. However, his popularity among the other houses had dramatically risen since his return. He should be thanking Hermione.  
  
"Let me worry about that. You're not gonna get another perfect chance like this!" Draco was torn. Hermione had become a close friend but his father was blood. However if he had commited this unforgivable act he would have to be punished. Killed? Draco was still unsure if it warrented his fathers murder. Draco thought of his own mother. How would he act?  
  
"It is perfect!" Hermione mused. "Big gathering?" She sat down on the bench. It was only now Draco realised how thin and fragile the girl had become. She didn't stand a chance with his father. Draco nodded. Hermione laughed. "Going to be hard getting him alone."  
  
"Let me sort that. We have this main ball room. But there are small rooms the lead off. Like alcoves. But Hermione- Hear him out first. I'm only doing this because I'm certain he hasn't done this." There was no way she was killing him. The truth was about to brake her. Whether it was him or not. It would brake her.  
  
"I will." Hermione sighed. "I want my revenge Draco." She explained as if she knew what he was thinking. She did. Somehow. She just did.  
  
"You'll get it. Soon." Draco went to walk away. "Oh, and wear green. Not red! Slytherin's never. Ever. Wear red!"  
  
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"Ginny please stop this. I'm not there as Draco's date. I'm going to kill his father, it's not really a task I'm enjoying. Doesn't help that Severus is going to be there with his fiancée-" Hermione shouted two days before the ball. Standing upon a stool getting the sulky Ginny to do the best she could with the train wreck of a dress she was wearing. She was to blend. Not stick out like a sore thumb. Not that Hermione doubted Ginny's sewing abilities. Hermione just thought the dress was beyond hope. Well at least it had gotten Ginny talking to her again. It had been fourteen days and three hours since she had told Ginny about attending the masked ball, and until an hour ago it had been fourteen days and about two hours since Ginny had spoken to her.  
  
"He proposed?" Ginny was hemming Hermione's pale blue ball gown. It really was hideous. Her sulk had completely faded at the mention of Snape and she-who-must-not-be-named.  
  
"He will be! Christmas day!" Hermione looked at the dress through the full length mirror. "This dress will not do!" Hermione stepped down from the stool. It was a ball of fluff. There was no other way to describe it. "I can't buy another one either."  
  
"So I guess you want to be dressed to kill?!" Ginny laughed softly. "See what that new wand of yours will do?" Ginny handed it to Hermione unscathed. Hermione trusted Ginny. Although the present day Hermione was wondering if that was still true. With a flick of her wand and a muttered incantation the dress was transformed. Hermione looked into the mirror as Ginny stood to get a better look. A simple deep green strapless ball gown that fell elegantly to the floor. "It's perfect!" Hermione smiled twirling her hair up on top of her head. Realising the power she had in her wand she put her hair up into a interact nest of curls, black and green feathers.  
  
"Turn round. Look at the back." Ginny turned her friend around. It was sticking out in a ruffled fashion. ivory lace poking through the hemmed ends. It was perfect. "Get the truth and knock him dead kid!" Ginny knocked Hermione's jaw lightly with have light fist.  
  
"Snape or Lucius?!" Hermione was asking herself as well as Ginny.  
  
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A/N: Hope you like this chapter. One more and we'll be back in present time. I was just going have Snape explain everything in an Epilogue kind of thing. But I have an idea... (See the bunnies won't leave me alone.) It's going to (I think) deal with a little prophecy that's going to come up next chapter.  
  
punkrock pixie: Millions of chocolate frogs are leaping their way to you now. Although a few might get lost. *ooopsie* Little Mermaid is my all time Disney. Many because I haven't seen many of the others lol.  
  
bunnyrabbit228: shucks *blushes* One of your faves?! You really can review again lol... Yep... sense filled Snape is coming up (I think)  
  
NeopianClayniac: you love it???? wow you can fry an egg on my face! lol Hope you like this chapter and will review again even if it just to say you're still loving it. lol  
  
strega-in-progress: Unfortunately all I can say is... Patience is a virtue. But you'll find out soon enough.  
  
Crimson Regret177: Sense and sensibility. Mmmmmm, why would you pick what's-his-name over Alan? He is hilarious in a film called the January Man. (If you ain't seen it, watch it. My other passion is in it- Kevin Kline! *blushes with shame*) but my all time favourite Alan is Dogma. swoooooon. I'm 18, I'm pretty sure he's 58. Is this really bad????? I unfortunately don't like the character he plays in Love Actually. Mainly cos I spent the whole film wanting to rip those stupid glasses from his face.  
  
Slim Shady: great writer... I've always wanted to be called that. Present time is coming up soon.  
  
Kelcey2007: Thank you, thank you, a thousand times thank you  
  
QueenBonnie: Hope this chapter has cleared up some of your questions. I didn't even realise I was blocking anon reviews. I feel so ignorant... I'm an Ignoramus. (I'm pretty sure that's a word! lol) Yes your right about the villain... Safer than the `quiet ones` lol  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: Unfortunately, or fortunately I'm in denial about my school work. I have this story and peach tea to keep me company. Who cares if I don't get into uni. (Ok... so I do! I will get my act together. Soon! lol) As for the questions, all will be revealed.  
  
ivre: Well his Vanessa wasn't there in person. She was there in his wallet! Big pain! Ouch. Still not over that one. Expecting her to be a supermodel so I'd have no chance with him. Turned out she was just human. Nothing superficial about why he loves her. New York, yes. Brooklyn Bridge. Yes, although he didn't kiss me. But he did buy me a bagel and soft cheese and the dinner next to our hotel. Although there was two other people with us, it was still romantic for me. We walked in silence, it was perfect. Just hope he felt the same. Something else that did happen, me getting stuck in a lift within my first hour of being in New York! And hour and a Half. In march, should have been cold. But a heat wave hit. I don't mind you asking at all. If you do get to personal I will tell you. Until then, ask away.  
  
revel-in-me: Did you like this chapter? Want more????? That's what the review is there for!! (Was that too cheeky, or am I being the cute writer. Or have all these reviews gone to my head?)  
  
LiL AcE ViLLa: Not only did you have to wait for the chapter. You had to wait to find your response to your review. All your answers will be answered in the next two chapters! lol Please continue reading and reviewing.  
  
^.^(): Last but by no means least my first anon reviewer. I'm sorry if you've been trying to review before now. I didn't realise you couldn't. I'm sure it's not the best. It's mediocre but never the best. I'm glad you are enjoying it all the same. And will continue reading. Thank You.  
  
Should have the next story to you all by the end of the week. I'm going to spend an hour each night on it so I can do my studying. Hope that everyone can keep there nails from bleeding with anticipation.  
  
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	15. Honesty and Absinth, Holly and Anger

Honesty and Absinth, Holly and Anger  
  
"We're having a Christmas ball at our house?!" Hermione hissed at Draco as they approached the mansion sitting opposite each other in a horse drawn carriage on Christmas Eve happy that she was dressed to kill. "House?! You're house is so big, it must have it's own post code!" Hermione laughed. Her gloved hand rested upon his knee. "You'd seriously give this all up for Ginny?"  
  
"Yes!" Draco answered without hesitation. He was dressed in black velvet robes, his growing hair tied at the nape of his neck. "You look amazing Her-"  
  
"Don't call me that. Give me another name." Hermione placed her porcelain goblin mask over her face. The nose shot out beyond the mask, reminding her on a film she saw as a child. Labyrinth? There was a goblin ball. They all wore these masks. "Holly! Call me Holly."  
  
"As you wish Holly. Very festive." The carriage had stopped and Draco had his arm extended to escort Hermione from the carriage to the ball room. Once inside her stomach lurched. Anyone who was anyone in the wizarding world was there. If it was him, how could she kill him and get away with it? "Come this way." He held her shaking hand, leading her to a curtained room that led off from the ball room. The walls were lined with mahogany bookcases. In the centre was a mahogany desk. "I'll go get him. Will you be ok?" Hermione nodded. "It might be a while. Hold tight ok?"  
  
"I've waited long enough. A few minutes more won't make a difference." He stroke her bare face where the mask had stopped. "Forgive me if it's him."  
  
"My condolences if it's not. For your hunt will continue." Draco left through the heavy velvet curtain.   
  
It hit her like a tonne weight. What if it wasn't him? What if it was a V and it was just somebody acting on Voldermort's orders. Lucky she had stolen a small vile of truth serum from Snape's stock during another detention. The cool steel of the dagger itched at her thigh were it was fastened with her mother's wedding garter. The Hermione in the pensive paced. The Hermione watching was growing with fear. Something was wrong. She remembered the encounter. However what came after?  
  
Too late. Lucius entered. An air of superiority that defined him even with the amber mask. Ignorance. Ignorance that was about to get him killed. All the present Hermione could do was watch and attempt to stop her heart from racing. He had no idea why he was here. Draco had told him he would join him in a moment. He hadn't expected the masked young woman. Eyes as stone, staring him down as if he was her prey.  
  
"Child?!" He intoned. Approaching Hermione and the mahogany desk. It was the only thing that was keeping them apart. "My son will be joining me in a moment. We have matters to discuss, please find another hiding place."  
  
"No Lucius. We have matters to discuss." She pinned him delicately to the desk and mounted him as if he was horse. For Hermione watching, she was surprised at how much speed and agility she had. Especially in such a restricting dress. Within the first second she had bound his protesting legs with a spell from her wand. She used the second to drop the contents of the vile down his throat while warning if he didn't drink she would rip out his tongue. By the third she had removed the dagger from her thigh and aimed it at his heart.  
  
"Wh-who are you?" He whimpered uncharacteristically, his own porcelain discarded unintentionally. Hermione used her free hand to remove her mask, her hair falling out of its nest. The back and green feathers disappearing into whips of coloured smoke. Her face looked aged to him. He knew what had happened. What caused this pain on her face. "Granger." He drawled. "Why do I have the pleasure?" She poked him with the point of the dagger piercing the heavy velvet he was wearing. He rolled his eyes. He knew why she was there. "All you have to do is ask." His cold penetrating eyes met hers.  
  
"Did you rape my mother?" She beat away her temptation to cry. She would not show the man underneath her any sign of weakness. He cackled confidently. She bit her tongue and pinned her free hand, her wand hand, to her side. Fingers itching.  
  
"No!" He answered, his stare never altered. He was telling the truth.  
  
"Did you kill my father?" Hermione asked. Frozen in her place. It wasn't him. Who was it? He was there that night wasn't he?  
  
"No." He snorted. He was telling the truth.  
  
"Were you at my house the night my father was killed?" It was heartbreaking hearing his negative responses. So many nights she had the dream of him saying yes. Her ripping his heart out right there and then. Allowing his own heart to be the last thing his dying eyes saw.  
  
"No." He mouthed. "Miss Granger. I may be a cold blooded murderer. But I do have standards.... Raping a mudblood's mother is too low for me." Hermione snapped the dagger slashed the flesh of his cheek. "Ok. I deserved that."  
  
"So. Does it have anything to do with Voldermort?" Hermione returned the blood covered dagger to the man's heart. He nodded. "What?!"  
  
"A contractor and a prophesy ." He blurted and scorned. He was about to betray his master. She looked bewildered.  
  
"Say what?!" Present Hermione cringed, (SAY WHAT?!!!!)  
  
"Voldermort does not allow females to be death eaters. We had to contract one in. She took four of our men. One of them raped your mother, but only at her command." Was the penny dropping. Hermione dug the dagger further into his chest. It bit into the cotton shit. Soon it would be touching flesh. She wanted more. She wanted to know why! "There is a prophesy...." Hermione pressed harder. He growled in pain, he was procrastinating.. "Harry is not the only candidate to stop Voldermort permanently. There is an old prophesy that states a unity of the two great houses of Hogwarts will bring down a great lord." Both Hermione mentally counted to ten.  
  
"I'm guessing this involves me and-"  
  
"Severus. Yes." Lucius winced. "Would you please get off. You're quite heavy. And I really need a drink." Hermione thought for a second and dismounted. After all where could he go with his legs tied? Reminding herself he would pay for the remark. She made sure she clipped his balls with the heel of her shoes as she dismounted. She smiled so vindictively that there was no room for him to say a word  
  
"I swear to you I wasn't involved." He hoped painfully over to a bookshelf where a decanter of green liquid stood. de uncorked it and drank from the bottle. "But I know who was. She was sent to stop your relationship."  
  
"The Countess?" Hermione questioned pulling the bottle from him. She wiped the lip of the bottle dramatically knowing it would piss him off.  
  
"Rebecca Lovelace." Lucius corrected. How could Rebecca have been at two places at once. Rebecca was in New York. Or was that why Hermione was sent to Madison Square Garden? "Amazing likeness isn't she?" He had moved to the curtain. He could sense her thoughts "Before you ask. I don't know how."  
  
"So, you stop a prophesy and regain a minion?" Hermione questioned. Lucius nodded. "One problem. That prophesy is so vague. There have been many dark lords, and as for the house match there must-"  
  
"You were the first in a century." Draco recited. "If you were in his place would you take the risk?"  
  
"If I was him I'd beware a woman scorned!" The alcohol was beginning to take affect. She replaced her mask "Maybe it might not be prophesied that one pissed off woman seeks revenge and still kills him. But it's going in the history books. And believe me they are more reliable."  
  
"Revenge of your mother, father or Severus?" Lucius asked as Hermione removed the spell. She moved into him. Reaching to his ear.  
  
"All three!" Hermione whispered downing the whole bottle. "Stay off the Absinth" Hermione remembered vaguely before her vision went completely blurry.  
  
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A quick clear up charm showed her a catastrophic turn of events she didn't know took place. She sat on the edge of her seat. Each breath catching in her chest....   
  
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An equally drunk Severus had fallen into the curtained room a little while after Lucius had left. The present Hermione was now wondering is Lucius had sent him in to torment her. However he was in no condition.  
  
"Vanessa!" He grabbed Hermione's hand. The present Hermione became worried. Nothing happened did it? "I can't do this." Both Hermione's were confused. "I don't want to propose to you. I love her! I love her!"  
  
"Who?" Hermione had somehow been pined to the wall. She didn't like it at all. He thought she was Vanessa. She didn't feel protected. She felt venerable. It isn't my Severus, Hermione thought. Wishing away his seductive hunting glares.  
  
"I know you look like her. But you're not!" He hadn't heard her. However his response answered her question. "You say she doesn't feel the same? Are you certain?" Hermione didn't answer. His lips were brushing her collarbone. Hermione felt a rush of adrenalin. She felt him rise and harden. Her Severus had never once lost control. He had known she wasn't ready for that kind of relationship with him. How such a chaste secret of his could mean he'd lost his chastity. His attraction of her was no longer of intelligence but of lust. He thinks I'm Vanessa. Hermione argued. "Your skin may feel the same. But you've perfected her body." He ran his hands over her breasts. He really was drunk to not know it was the real Hermione. "I like hers the way it is." He bit her neck softly, then hard. The area became sensative. He blew his hot, sweet breath over the fading wound. Hermione presently stroked her neck were it had happened. She had always wondered.... "And her intelligence. You don't compare!" Hermione had to laugh. If only Vanessa could hear. Or should that be Rebecca? "I'm telling you now. She gives me any hint that she feels the same... It's over." His nose trailed her cheek. "She's more important to me than getting back on the right side of Vold-"  
  
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With the memories bottled she made her way out of her room. Maybe it was too late to stop the wedding. But she could stop the honeymoon and Severus' second initiations as a death eater. Cursing herself for not saying anything sooner, she only prayed she wasn't too late.  
  
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A/N: Hope you like? Nothing more to say.  
  
punkrock pixie: Soon. So very soon.  
  
Slim Shady: Was it worth the wait?  
  
bunnyrabbit228: Naturally gifted I guess. lol. Vanessa is covered in this chapter. But will be fully answered in either chapter 16 or 17. Hope you are having a better gay today.  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: Hope you like this chapter. Glad I cleared things up.:-)  
  
bastet-the-cat-goddess: I love Sweet November Rain. Love GnR (My Michelle is my favourite) although I must say Areosmith rock. Please read on.  
  
Kelcey2007: Awwww shucks *blushes*  
  
Forever Snape: Please read on. If you get too scared to read on, you could always put your computer in the freezer (Sorry lame F.R.I.E.N.D.S reference) lol  
  
ivre: Hope this has rescued you. Good luck in your exams. I hate science... mainly because I didn't listen and played 21 questions for five years. oooops. Still managed to get a decent grade though. So there is hope for you.  
  
QueenBonnie: Your review is so, so, erm... weird for 3 reasons... (In reference to your reference to laybrinth! lol) 1. I almost bought Labyrinth on DVD today. 2. There is a reference to Labyrinth in this chapter and 3. (Most important) David Bowie is soooo sexy in that film. Don't know if it's the hair or the in your face `bulge` in his trousers but he has be mesmerised. *blushes* Please don't judge. Ps Galaxy Quest is ace.... he's cool in that. As to your questions... All will be revealed shortly. mwhahahahaha  
  
Ok.... In big denial about school work. But after spending almost 2hrs watching Kill Bill when I should have been revising I though. What the hell.  
  
Ps. Good Luck to all those who are revising.  
  
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	16. You Had Me From Hello

You Had Me From Hello.  
  
She was too late. Not only had they left. They'd left the crisp white function room like a death eaters tea party. He had truly turned. A celebration such as this would only be given to the highest regarded death eater. After at least ten years of seeking redemption, they had broken him. Voldermort had his best interrogator back. Hermione had let Ginny come to this?! There was a putrid smell lingering in the air. Blood? Sacrifice or just for entertainment. Did Ginny get out alive? There was so much blood and different scents that even Hermione's heightened sense of smell couldn't identify Ginny's. One thing of Ginny's she could identify was her watch. Her watch?! Hermione doubled back to the watch beside the upturned table. Was that her blood dripping from the table onto the watch? Hermione placed her bottle of memories on the table so she could fasten the straps of the watch around her wrist. The Weasley arrows began moving to different parts of the dial.  
  
Hermione took a sharp intake of breath. Both Ginny and Molly were home at the Burrow. Safe and sound. McGonagall, Dumbledore? All the teachers from Hogwarts! They were invited. Were they safe? Hermione hoped to God they were.  
  
My wand?! Hermione thought. How stupid she had been to come unarmed. She sat on one of the chairs of yet another upturned table hoping not to get any excessive amount of blood on her white summer dress. Where had she left it? Wards were good. However it meant she had become lacks and forgetful about the valuable wand. The shop. Of course, she had been working at Mr Olivander's since she left Hogwarts. She had taken ill two nights back and in her rush to get home she had forgotten her wand. Foolish, so very foolish. It had seemed so long ago. This morning had seemed so long ago.  
  
"While your heart may betray, the darkness wills it so." Hermione whispered. Perched on the gold and cream chair. "Your soul stays pure. Beyond Corruption." A tear slowly trickled down her face. "The windows brave the light that sometimes blinds us." She sighed. Looking round once again for some clue of her Severus' survival. Nothing. "Goodbye my love." Hermione apperated back home. She was at the end of the street. She hadn't been concentrating. And it was now raining. At least the rain gave her an excuse for a wet face. She really didn't need to explain to her mother why she was crying.  
  
Walking slowly. She'd never felt so alone in her life. All the time she thought Severus would come rushing up to her. Remembering everything between them. Had it just been denial. Trying to keep the thought that he would be there for her when she found out who raped her mother. Of course he didn't know that. Not that Hermione needed him. Not that every night she cried because she had been shown what was missing in her life and had it ripped away by a psychopath she knew he despised. What would happen when, if, he found out? Did he already know?  
  
Completely drenched she slipped into her mothers house. In a few weeks Hermione was going to move out. Move to Scotland perhaps. Or Ireland. Somewhere away from magic. Hermione climbed the stairs. Glad her mother hadn't heard her come in. Her legs like lead she crossed the hall. Wanting to get out of her now see-through summer dress as soon as possible. Hermione decided, clutching her memories. She would destroy them. Her hand touched the cool metal of her door knob. She would remove Hogwarts from her memory. She opened her door to a silhouette figure who was pacing her floor. At the sight of her. They dropped to the floor.  
  
Hermione flicked the light switch. Wishing she had her wand. Hoping that her mother was still alive. She held her breath. If she breathed she might wake up. It might not be real. There before her was Severus on his knees clutching a similar glass bottle in one hand, a necklace in the other. His eyes full of warmth and recognition. He smiled weakly and waved the bottle at Hermione.  
  
"Wedding gift from Minevra. You can drink your memories apparently." Hermione closed her door with a snap. He remained on the floor while Hermione knocked her bottle of memories back. Hermione didn't know how much longer her legs could keep her standing, it was a shock to the system having memories flood back through you. "I remember Hermione." She collapsed in front of him. "I'm so so sorry." He cried. Wanting to kiss her. Hold her. But after what he'd done. She needed to know something. "I didn't go through with it. I didn't marry her." She kissed him. Her body yielding to him. Her hands brushed through his still long hair. The state of the function room wasn't a celebration. It was a hissy fit. "She made me open it before the wedding." Hermione sniffed.  
  
"I've missed you!" She sobbed. "You promised you'd never leave me. But you did. I forgave you for everything you were going to do to hurt me. But-" Severus nodded. He remembered every single thing in fine detail. How he'd treated her. It brought him to tears.  
  
"Hermione." He cupped her face. "Please forgive me. I love you and you alone. Hermione. I have been a bastard. But you enchant me! You've had me from hello. I've never thought of you as a chit-of-a-girl. I was just trying to convince myself it was wrong." He sobbed into her chest. "I left my own self-pity over rule my desires. My freedom." He placed his hand over her heart. "My Herm-" She's kissed him again. "Mion."  
  
"I love you." Hermione replied simply. She hadn't loved him as long as he'd loved her. However her love was just as strong as his. "I want you in my life forever. I want to be your wife. I want your children. I want to grow old with you. I want to be part of your life, forever."  
  
"One correction. Our life. My life doesn't exist without you. I don't exist without you." They kissed once again. Happy to be together again. Not wanting to bring up the matter at hand. She knew. And he knew that she knew. "And by the way. Are you missing anything?" Hermione looked bewildered. He dangled the necklace. From it hung a feather. A feather from her original wand. "Form of ployjuice." Severus blushed. "She was Rebecca." He explained. Hermione simply raised her eyebrow at his stupidity. "And she's mighty pissed at me, at you. At both of us."  
  
"Is everyone safe?" Hermione asked after a while. Cuddled into Severus. Both propped up on the bed frame. He looked grave. "Who's gone?"  
  
"You know who." Severus said simply. Yes she knew. Without saying it he nodded to her. Words couldn't say anything.  
  
"He's one of them isn't he? They were determined to have someone new today weren't they?" Hermione sank deeper into Severus. He put his fingers through her short bob. He kissed her head softly and sighed.  
  
"No. He wasn't a new recruit." Severus pinned her to him, he knew she knew. She fought him off. She stared at him as if she was his predator. Her eyes streamed with tears. Her hair wild his fury.  
  
"No!" She whispered harshly. "No." He grabbed her again. "NO!" She screamed trying to pull away. Both too exhausted to put up a real fight.  
  
"Albus-" He couldn't say it. He didn't want to say it. It was going to break his girl. A single tear rolled down his face. He knew Albus had no control. Rebecca was a strong witch. "Albus-"  
  
"He raped my mother? Didn't he?!" She sobbed into his lap. He bent down and kissed the small of her back.  
  
"I'm sorry my little witch." he pulled her onto his lap. "I wish I'd been there for you. It's not his fault Hermione. He's not himself." She clung onto Severus as he lifted her onto the bed and joined her.  
  
"He consoled me! But he's taken so much away from me." Hermione looked into Severus' deep loving eyes. They felt her pain. "He took you away from me. He took me away from you. And you're defending him."  
  
"He didn't do any of this. This is Rebecca's doing." He told her firmly.  
  
"He's supposed to be the strongest wizard. He should have fought her. He shouldn't have done it. It shouldn't be him!" She wasn't really angry at him. She was angry at herself. How could she kill a man she once had respect for.  
  
"Hush my sweet, please. You'll make yourself ill." He feared only blood would quench this anger of hers. He had a sinking feeling it was justified.  
  
"I want to remove his guts and entrails with a spoon." Hermione whispered into Severus' chest. "I want him dead." He couldn't stop her. She pounded her fists into what ever flesh she could reach. Her energy lasted only a few seconds.  
  
"In the morning." He whispered softly. "We'll sort this tomorrow."  
  
"You won't stop me?!" She half asked, half told him. His leg pulled her into him and remained over her own petite legs that shivered with fear. Hermione, despite herself felt the world melt away.  
  
"Hermione. You will be my wife! I will follow you into the depths of hell. You have freed me and if this is what you have to do to be free. So be it." He kissed her forehead. He feared she was about to condemn herself. No matter what Albus had done. Free will or none. If she killed him, she would be in the wrong. Albus was considered a good man. His murder would be unacceptable. Hermione's clothes were still wet. Severus performed a drying charm on the sleeping girl cradled in his arms. He deserved to be killed as much as anyone else. Yet she still looked to him for protection.  
  
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A/N: I feel very bad about this chapter. Making Dumbledore a very bad man feels like sacrilege. Very, very dark stuff and I don't know where it can from. Please don't stop reading. I think there are only going to be two or three more chapters. This is where it was originally going to end before I added the sub-plot of her mother. Writing this almost had me in tears so don't hate me for this chapter. I have a horrible feeling I'm going to get a bad response for this one. *fingers and toes are crossed*  
  
strega-in-progress: You like my Sev? Me too. However, what about my Dumbledore? Very scared about your response.  
  
Crimson Regret177: Robin Hood *swoon* Rumours are he had his scenes cut because he was more popular than Kevin Costner. I'd have Alan over Kevin any day. lol. Hope you like this chapter.  
  
bastet-the-cat-goddess: Hope you're still reading. lol. Very dark chapter I know. Very dark story. Almost near the end I think (Unless you can think of something else)  
  
ivre: Here you go. I stayed up till 1 am to write this for you. hehehehe I was up anyway. Still want me to update?  
  
Slim Shady: Like? Hate? *biting nails*  
  
bunnyrabbit228: It was going to be covered in this chapter why he didn't. Will come up in the next chapter though.  
  
punkrock pixie: your questions answered? Hope you like it. Hermione is going to kick major butt in either chapter 17 or 18. So if you thought the meeting with Lucius was bad......... 


	17. Hardship Unknown

Severus found he couldn't sleep. He was restless. Multiple memories rushing to him all at once. Vanessa had been Rebecca. Dumbledore hadn't removed his memories to protect him. He'd done it because Voldermort had his claws well and truly into him. He untangled himself carefully from the sleeping Hermione. The sun had set hours ago. With a wave of his wand he relight the candles and turned out the electrical light that suspended from the ceiling.  
  
The flickering candle light darkened Hermione's hair. He turned away as he thought of how much she looked like Vanessa. Or how Vanessa had looked like her. Vanessa had turned up at Hogwarts two weeks after the end of term. He was in the gardens, thinking about Hermione. He still had feelings for her. He just had no idea they were reciprocated. To him Hermione had acted like a spoilt brat he always hoped she was. If she was a detestable brat, he would stop thinking about her constantly. How she was the only one to ever challenge him as a teacher, how she didn't shrivel at his intense glares. How she coped with dumb and dumber. She had thankfully grown apart from the two. She may have been a child, as he reminded himself everyday, but she had a maturity that rivalled his own.........  
  
"Professor Snape?!" Came the soft sultry voice on that mid day Vanessa came into his life. She cocked her head slightly. Smiling broadly. She smelled of roses and mint. Like Hermione.  
  
"Miss Granger?" He questioningly replied a little too much hope in his voice. The sun stopped him from seeing her properly. "How are you." He hadn't seen her since she found out her father had been killed. The woman took a step closer. It wasn't Hermione. She looked so much like her through. She giggled. She was dressed in a plain summer dress of a faded pink.  
  
"I'm Countess Vanessa Kovoft." She extended her slender hand. Her accent was Russian. "I've been sent to seek you out." Severus now knew who by; Voldermort. Rebecca Lovelace, The Contractor. He'd heard of the Contractor. She was as famous as Potter. However he had never known her true identity until recently. "My cousin Rebecca Lovelace has sent me with a wand of your students."  
  
"Miss Granger's, thank you. You could have just owled it to the school." Severus explained politely. She may have looked like Hermione, she may have had Hermione's wand. But she wasn't her. He wasn't about to delude himself into thinking that the woman before him was her. What ever would Hermione see in him. A bitter man who at every opportunity put her down. No. If he couldn't have Hermione. He wouldn't settle for a second rate look a like.  
  
"I had heard so much from my cousin. I had to see if her talk of you was true." She stroked his arm. "I'm glad to inform she greatly did you injustice."  
  
"That's because the woman wants me. She was an obsessive freak who I was glad to see the back of." Severus know thought it was suck a bad mood to have said that. Had he have known she was in fact Rebecca herself, he would have shown more tact. The woman in front of him showed pain in his remark. He'd simply seen it as her being insulted at his attack on her cousin. Not on her.  
  
As it turned out. She was just as obsessive as Rebecca. Mainly, it now appeared, because she was Rebecca. He should have seen it early. It was too much of a coincidence. Now he thought about it, if Vanessa's appearance was true. Rebecca would have commented Hermione when they first met. Within a week, he shamefully admitted to himself, Vanessa had succeeded in bedding him. To the approval of Dumbledore who was arranging for them to spend every waking hour together.  
  
Of course Dumbledore had known of Severus' feelings of Hermione. He had never hidden his feelings of her to Dumbledore. How could he? He'd confided in Dumbledore to protect her. To use the bond of confidence protected those feelings from Voldermort. What Severus hadn't known was Dumbledore was consumed by the dark and betrayed him. Although, and Severus would never understand this, Dumbledore had remained chaste about Severus' role as a spy for him. Part selfish, part mad genius.  
  
It was the day Hermione had returned that he truly gave in to Vanessa. Hermione had walked in on him and Vanessa. His heart panged at the thought now. The weeks Vanessa had been there, his lust had grown. It wasn't Vanessa he wanted, it was Hermione. And on that day, he'd lost all chance. Hermione had looked like a deer caught in headlights. Once she had left, his anger flared.....  
  
Vanessa kissed him as the door closed with a snap. She sighed hungrily. He pushed her away. She hissed.  
  
"She doesn't want you." Vanessa fixed herself. "She despises you. Did you see the way she was looking at you?" He continued with his work, sitting at his desk unrolling a piece of parchment. "You can't ever have her Severus. She wouldn't want you. She's a pretty witch. She could get anyone she wants... Believe me it won't be you. Look at you! You're lucky I want you." Something inside him was telling him that it wasn't true. Hermione had wanted him. Something she had said that he couldn't remember. Vanessa had returned to his knee. "What has she got that I haven't?" `Everything` Severus was now mentally shouting. How easily she had brainwashed him. Made him believe the only reason he'd ever wanted Hermione was for sex. How much he'd degraded Hermione by that thought. She was so much more than that. "Just love me, obey me and I'll be your slave!" With that he was hooked. Unless Hermione fought for him, he would settle for second best. How the little witch could have broken his heart without knowing, without trying. He couldn't let his little witch do that to him. He kissed Vanessa ravenously. "Oh." Vanessa pulled away. "Stop calling me by that little bitches name whenever you climax. It's not flattering at the least." Vanessa left without another word.  
  
How quickly he had turned from spy to fully fledge death eater. Of course Vanessa wasn't announced as the Contractor, but simply the first female death eater in England. How quickly had turned bitter, and it reflected in his treatment of Hermione. Now he could see that she was so consumed with revenge that she wasn't about to fight for him. What he didn't know was Vanessa had Threatened Hermione with his life.  
  
Somewhere his thoughts drifted to today's events. The function room had been where the wedding was to take place, his precious lovers chair was the centre piece. He was looking at the fading mark on his arm. His chair had bitten him. Who was the other? Standing in his room that had led off from the function room he wondered what Hermione was doing. Vanessa had invited her out of spite. Would she come? No, she had better things to do- Who had his chair bitten? He began pacing. He hated his suit. It was white. It made him look paler than he was. He hated Hermione, why hadn't she saved him. Redeemed him. A small, polite cough disturbed him.  
  
It was Minerva. She looked at him as if he was a little boy. She knew as soon as they were married she'd loose him. If he couldn't beat them, he'd join them. He couldn't beat them without Hermione. He hugged her dwarfed figure.  
  
"I have a wedding present for you." She whispered. "Just you. And it must be opened now!" Handing him a bottle. He recognised the contents. "I'm sorry my boy."  
  
"Memories? My memories?!" He questioned. She nodded. "What of?"  
  
"Drink and find out my boy. Quickly. I don't want you to make a mistake." He looked at the woman he respected. "You'll understand. Forgive me boy." He never tired of her calling him boy. She left him alone. He pulled out the stopper, prepared to down the bottle. When Draco bustled into the room.  
  
"Where's Ginny Weasley?" He questioned.  
  
"What do you want with the mudblood's shadow?!" Severus snapped harshly. Secretly wondering where Hermione was. She was his white knight of redemption. He'd just called her a mudblood. He didn't deserve her.  
  
"No reason." He lied. "Just thought of a really good put down." Draco winced. He looked at his uncle. "Are you sure about this?" Draco had worked out that it was Vanessa's, or rather Hermione's, looks his uncle was marrying her for. "Never too late to wrong your rights." Truth was Severus was Draco's redemption. If Severus went ahead with the wedding and rejoined the death eaters Draco was a lost cause. He would join them.  
  
"Go away you fool!" Severus ushered him away. He was alone once again. He took a deep breath and down the silver liquid. A rush of memories came to him. New York, Brooklyn Bridge. She loved him. There was more to Vanessa than meet the eye. He thought sitting to ease the rush of old memories.  
  
Once he had processed the new information. He stared at the closed door. Waiting for Vanessa. His anger growing with each passing minute. He'd been blinded. Played for a fool. The worst of it. He'd acted like one. After what seemed like and eternity she walked into the small room. All smiles. She was about to return the most famous traitor back to his master. Or so she thought.  
  
"Bitch!" He growled simply. His eyes cold stared her down. He remained still. "Fucking whore."  
  
"What's gotten into you?" She asked. Kneeing before him in a green satin dress. He showed her the bottle.  
  
"I remember." He whispered into her ear. "Hermione loves me and you knew that didn't you?"  
  
"Yes!" She whispered back. "Too late now sweetie. You can't betray Voldermort again."  
  
"I'm not going out there." He answered smugly. She pulled him to the floor and pinned him between her legs, undoing his trousers. Muttering the incantation of marriage.  
  
"You can't perform your own wedding you crazy bitch." He tried to wriggle free she was surprisingly strong. "It's not legal."  
  
"Get it up!" She demanded.  
  
"It's a dick! It doesn't have an on off switch! And seeing as you're trying to rape me I'd leave it in the off position anyway."  
  
She bent down to kiss him. The feather of her necklace brushed his cheek. Something was telling him to rip it from her neck. He did. She transformed with a shriek. She now resembled the beautiful woman from New York. The woman of his nightmares.  
  
"Rebecca?!" He kicked her off, pulling his trousers back on. "You obsessive son of a bitch."  
  
"You go to her. I'll kill her." She stopped him from leaving. "You can't protect her. You stay with us, she'll be safe."  
  
"I join you. You'll make me kill her. You don't know Voldermort. I do!" Severus pushed her to the floor harshly, knocking her out, and opened the door. Albus blocked his path. Death Eaters were tearing up the place. Severus glimpsed Ginny and her mother cowering in a corner, being protected by Draco. Foolish boy. His father would surly kill him. "Move!"  
  
"I can't do that my boy," Severus peeked around him Minerva was no where in sight. "You can not go back to her, there is the prophesy to consider. You're not a good man. You're a death eater."  
  
"Ram the prophecies up your arse Albus. Your a weak fool." He roared. "Only a weak man can be broken. You've fucked up royally. Get out of my way, or kill me where I stand." Dumbledore didn't move. Severus still didn't know what is was that made him punch the headmaster in the stomach and knee him in the groin. Whatever it was, adrenalin maybe, it moved him out the way affectively. Within a few seconds he was beside Draco, Molly and Ginny.  
  
"Where is she?" He asked a frightened Ginny. She didn't reply. He shook her arm. Her wand shot off into the crowd. "Ginny where's Hermione? Did she come with you?" Ginny shook her head.  
  
"She's at home." She finally answered.  
  
"Glad you decided to join the conversation," He smiled weakly at the girl. "Draco, take Molly and Ginny back to the Burrow. It's not safe for you to go home." Draco simply nodded.  
  
"Where are you going?" Draco asked as Severus made to leave to hall.  
  
"To right my wrongs!" He left without another word. There was hope for Draco after all.  
  
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A/N... I hope I've cleared up more questions in this chapter than raised.  
  
MetaJunkie (cpt 15): Awww shucks... explanation in either chapter 18 or 19 (cpt 16) Anti-climax huh? Is this the chapter where Sev shines? He will do more in the next. I think. There will be duelling. Sev will be at her side all the way.  
  
Kiddycat:All your questions have either been answered or will be answered.  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: I didn't intend him to come off so nice. lol. I think I will go back to it. Hope you did ok with the maths home work  
  
poetrychik: Hope you can point out the extremely vauge reference to Robin Hood in here. The very short sequence will be extended when I find the bloody RH script. Choco frogs if you can tell me which bit.  
  
punkrock pixie: Me neither. lol. This isn't a confusing chapter is it?  
  
kitkat87: Flattery will get you everywhere lol. *blushes*  
  
bunnyrabbit228: More answers or more questions?  
  
JasperPress77: Do you still have questions? I'm hopefully going to clear them all up. Glad you are enjoying it. :-)  
  
strega-in-progress: I'm finding it very complicated. At the moment. When I answer a question I seem to raise about five more new ones. Although I am pretty confident that I haven't got many, if any holes in the story. Which is very good for me considering this is being written a chapter at a time with the expected ending to be a chapter ago.  
  
Crimson Regret177: So glad you like the reunion. I think everyone hated him for that. And I bet he's more pissed that Alan was forgiven for ditching the German accent in Die Hard. But at least he had a go. lol "Ladies and Gentleman!" That's as far as he got. But hey, it was his first ever film.  
  
ivre: What did you think? I won't know if he follows through with his marriage until 17th July. I think he will though. Although I am telling him how I feel before I leave school. (he's a *cough, splutter splutter*) I wrote a few poems. *blushes* sad I know.  
  
QueenBonnie: That would have been a nice idea having as the world falls down in it. I love that song. I'll try and fit it in. Did you catch the reference in this chapter though?   
  
indianoutlawlady: or maybe even a triple wedding?! mwahahahahahaha 


	18. I'll be there for you

Sometime in the night Severus returned to Hermione. Seeking his own warmth and protection, he allowed her to stir, shift and find his nook where his armpit and chest met. She was sleeping peacefully when he fell into his own slumber.  
  
The morning rose. Hermione stirred. Severus wished away the dawn. They would have to face Hermione's revenge together. She stretched cat-like and pawed his chest delicately. Realising he was still there, She hadn't been dreaming, her eyes fluttered open despite the heavy headache that told her she needed much more sleep. She sighed contently and kissed him on the nose.  
  
"Morning." She said softly as he pulled her into him. He purred into her ear. How she didn't want it to end.  
  
"I hate that word." He laughed. "Why can't it still be night. I could stay here with you forever. In the harsh light of day you'll realise who I am-"  
  
"Who are you?" She turned around in his embrace to face him. He wished away the question. Time to bear his soul.  
  
"A bad man who doesn't deserve a beautiful, innocent, woman like you. I don't deserve your good, good heart. Decade ago I would have ate you for breakfast." His whispered weakly. "I do not deserve you. I deserved my life in solitary confinement."  
  
"Hush. You're a good man who strayed for a while. I am not innocent, that's been taken from me, and you didn't know me a decade ago. You've changed."  
  
"And that's another problem. A decade ago, you were eight. I was twenty-eight. I am twenty years your senior."  
  
"Please stop torturing yourself! I love you-"  
  
"Why?" He asked.  
  
"Why do you love me? A chit-of a girl who seemed to annoy you by being in the room-"  
  
"That's not true. I was- I was- I was a fool." Hermione laughed in agreement. "I love you because you make me feel whole. You make me feel like a good man-"  
  
"As you make me feel!" Hermione smiled. "Severus, there is a Greek story. Long ago, people had two heads. One day the god Zeus split the people in two and scattered them around the world. That's why you search for someone. They are your missing piece. You're mine."  
  
"Say it again!" He pulled her closer.  
  
"You are mine!" She kissed him. "And that bitch is going to pay for taking you from me." She pulled Severus on top of her. "Where are they?"  
  
"France." Severus sighed. "Voldermorts been there for months. There'll be a meeting tonight. Are you ready?" She nodded.  
  
"Promise me one thing though- and you have to promise before I ask you." He nodded. Distracted by her fragile body under him. "I don't want you to kill anyone unless you have to." He looked at her with a furrowed brow. "This is my fight! I don't want another death on your conscience even if they are just death eaters. I make you feel like a good man, so I can not ask you to kill anyone." He simply nodded.   
  
"As you wish my witch." Understanding the burden she felt.   
  
"Now. I may not have a biting chair to put you under a blood oath-" She reached from under him to get a pen knife that lay on her bedside table.  
  
"- Yes. I remember! It was you." His finger traced the fading scar. He held out his hand. "I hope we won't have to do this with every promise." He teased as she dragged the cool blade over the palm of his hand. She did the same to her own and clasped it with his with a slight wince. "Severus." She looked deep into his warm eyes. "Make love to me! I want you." It was the first time someone had asked him so kindly. No trickery need to bed him. No lust surging through his veins. Hermione had put it so delicately. How different she was to Rebecca in her Vanessa guise.  
  
"As you wish my love." He kissed her slowly. Wishing so much she had been his first. In a way she was. It was as she put it; Love. Not just sex. How he'd felt cheated out of his life. Without her it had been nothing.  
  
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"Severus?!" Remus exclaimed sometime in the afternoon when Hermione and Severus appeared from her bedroom. Redressed in fresh clothes. Hermione had found clothes of her father's for him to wear. "What are you doing here?" He snarled slightly when they had joined Remus in the kitchen. He suddenly noticed his hand clasped in Hermione's. "The Love?" He questioned Hermione gravely.  
  
"Yes. And believe me Remus. So many people disapprove of us, that one more will not make a difference." He hand tightened around Snape's.  
  
"She's eighteen."  
  
"She's still here." Hermione attacked. "My father's gave isn't even cold and you and my mother have been running round this house like teenagers. I haven't judged you or my mother! Do not, dare, judge us!"  
  
"You just did." Remus sighed. Hermione gripped Severus' hand tighter. "He's a death eater."  
  
"He's still here!" Hermione reminded Remus. "And the correct term is; was. Severus was a death eater."  
  
"He's married." Hermione's mother came to join them from the living room. "I'm not accepting this. I'm sure Albus wouldn't-"  
  
"What's going on?" He mother asked happily. Hermione regretted her attack on her mother's relationship with Remus. At least she was happy.  
  
"Mother. This is Severus Snape. I'm in love with him. We are going to be married. For your information Remus. Severus did not go ahead with his marriage, and Dumbledore is the fucking death eater who raped my mother."  
  
"Language Miss Granger." Her mother reprimanded her.  
  
"Don't dare blacken Albus' name!" Was it really the attack on Dumbledore that had insulted him. Or the fact that Hermione knew that he had been sharing a bed with her mother.  
  
"Hermione my sweet. He won't believe you.... Hello Mrs Granger." Severus extended his free hand to Hermione's mother.  
  
"You've put this idea into her head?" Remus stared.  
  
"Enough Remus!" Hermione's mother placed a loving hand on his shoulder. "Severus. Would you like something to eat? Drink?"  
  
"No thank you." Severus nodded a small thank you.  
  
"We have to go mother." Hermione slipped her hand from Severus' to hug her paling mother. "I'll be back. I just have some unfinished business."  
  
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"Fuck!" Hermione cursed as they walked towards Diagon Ally. She had reminded Severus that she needed her wand before they apperated to France. "I can't kill him can I?! If I do, I go to Azakaban. I'll never get my revenge for my mother."  
  
"Does your mother even want this? You could get killed tonight."  
  
"No different from any other year at Hogwarts my dear." Hermione argued as they entered the pub that would lead to Diagon Ally. It was packed full of scared and angery shoppers. Diagon Ally had been evacuated.  
  
"What's happened?" Severus questioned the nearest man.  
  
"Mr Oliveander?!" Hermione rushed to the man sitting at a booth. "What's happened?" He was crying.  
  
"My shop! All gone. All the wands gone!" He was in a state of shock. "All the wands gone. The whole shops destroyed."  
  
"What?!" Hermione had a terrible sinking feeling. Her wand.  
  
"Last night. Someone blew up my shop." He hit his head on the table before him. "Work of he-who-must-not-be-named." Severus had joined them.  
  
"My wands gone!" Hermione told him. "She couldn't get it. I still had the wards on it. She destroyed the whole shop to destroy one wand." He pulled Hermione into a warm embrace. "I swear to god, she is going to die a horribly slow and painful death." She found herself, for the first time not crying. Severus had made her feel strong. She could do this without her wand. "Ok. Lets go! All I need is a sword." Severus thought for a minute.  
  
"Draco! We need to check on him." Severus explained helping Hermione out of the busy pub. "He's at the burrow-" Without another word, Hermione had Apperated them both to the Burrow. "Showing off?" He questioned in the porch of the Burrow.  
  
"Maybe?" She kissed him. Just as Harry opened the door. His tongue hanging on the floor. "You knew he'd be here?!" She questioned as the stepped through and Harry ran off to find somewhere to hide.  
  
"I want to reconcile. I don't want you to end up as bitter and cruel as me. You lose your friends. You'll just have me. One day you'd resent me for it."  
  
"Me not speaking to him has nothing to do with you."  
  
"But you know there is no love lost between us. I don't want you using me as an excuse to not speak to him." He hugged her tightly as Molly approached them from the kitchen, followed by Ginny and Draco. "Besides. You kill Albus. You need everyone you can on your side. Go talk to him. We'll leave in an hour."  
  
While Hermione was reconciling with Harry, Snape explained the situation to Molly, Draco and Ginny. Ginny for some reason would not stop smiling at him.  
  
"You really love her, don't you?" Ginny asked when her mother had gone in search of a sword in her husbands muggle artefact collection. Severus nodded. "I'm glad you remember. She was in so much pain. And Professor-"  
  
"Severus!" He corrected.  
  
"Severus. I'm sorry I didn't do what you asked and asked Hermione what was wrong." She blushed, "I had forgotten by the morning."  
  
"Apology accepted." Severus smiled. "Draco. You sly dog! Why didn't you tell me?" He nodded at their joined hands. It was then Draco's turn to blush.  
  
"Well, I'd asked you to keep one thing quiet from my father-"  
  
"That you slept in a bed with Hermione?!" Ginny smiled. He blushed deeply. "I know nothing happened."  
  
"I'm sorry Ginny!" Draco pouted. Her smiled told him he was forgiven. "Anyway. You didn't keep that quiet, I didn't trust you after that. I know it wasn't you though. It was Vanessa!" Draco snarled. "I'm staying here Uncle. I'm renouncing the Malfoy name. Once Ginny leaves school. We are getting married." Ginny blushed at this.  
  
"Good boy. You are marrying well." Severus heard footsteps. An angry Hermione with red knuckles came into the kitchen.  
  
"Boy wonder wanted to join us!" Hermione explained rubbing her hand. Severus extended his own. Cupped her hand and kissed it.  
  
"Better?" He pulled her to his knee. She nodded softly kissing him. Realising he, or even herself, wasn't too comfortable with such a public display she restrained herself. Molly instantly returned with an arm full of daggers and swords providing a perfect distracting as the blades . "Thank you Molly. Choose quickly Herm. We haven't much time." She stood to get a better view of the selection. Adjusting her jeans as she stood. Her eyes were instantly drawn to a medieval sword. The hilt was encrusted with jewels. It looked heavy and felt strong. However it was light and easy to hold. Perfect. She chose two daggers. Severus made to pick up a sword.  
  
"Remember your promise!" Hermione reminded him. He nodded. "Ginny. Have you got a scarf?" Ginny rushed off to fight a silk scarf. Hermione guessed she also used the time to weep at her helplessness. She proved her right my appearing back in the kitchen with blotchy eyes. "Thank you." Hermione took the scarf and tied the dagger to her thigh. "I'm ready." She leant into Severus. He rested his chin upon her head. She still smelt of roses and mint. He inhaled deeply.  
  
"Don't go Herm." Ginny cried. "I don't want you to die!" Hermione pulled her best friend into a hug. "Herm, I got something to tell you-"  
  
"Tell me when I get back." Hermione stopped her. She held Ginny's head. "This is something I've got to do!" She kissed Ginny. "But thank for caring." Hermione and Serverus made to leave. They were to apperate to France from the Weasley's porch. Hermione hesitated and turned back. "When Harry wakes up, tell him I'm sorry and that this is my fight. Not his." At which point Ron appeared at the foot of the stairs. He nodded solemnly at Hermione. She mouthed thank you to him and allowed herself to be escorted out by Severus.  
  
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"I know you are trying the element of surprise." Hermione whispered inside a dense wood in France, nearing midnight. Snape had stopped off at his holiday home to pick up his death eater robes for them both to wear. "But I really do think they will be expecting us." She looked down at his robes which she was wearing. The moment she killed the first person, they were off. She revealed herself to them. That wasn't really her argument, she understood that if one of them had seem them on their way to the meeting place and got to Voldermort before they did. They were as good as dead. However, she hated that she had to wear their robes.  
  
"You'll be out of them soon my sweet." He lead her through the dense greenery. Not long after, She saw a feint glow in the distance. "My lady, your vengeance awaits." As quietly as they could they approached the source of the light. A man's silhouette came into focus. Her first victim. No, victim was the wrong word. Target.  
  
Hermione felt her release as she felt the warmth of blood trickled onto her hand from the man's cut throat. It had begun.....  
  
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A/N: Dum dum dummmmmmm..... Sorry. Didn't intend to get so sidetracked with this chapter and please forgive me with the cliffie. *pouts and flashes puppy dog eyes*  
  
JasperPress77: Vengeance is coming I promise. She's there now. I can't get sidetracked again. Hope you liked this chapter.  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: No, I couldn't kill them off. After what I've done with Dumbledore I really didn't have the heart. lol. Dumbledore is going to be vital in next chapter. mwhahahahaha. Would have been this one, blame the plot bunnies.  
  
bunnyrabbit228: Right on time. However, are you mad that you're still left asking what's next? *smiles and awaits reply nervously* lol ps. excellence... good call. don't agree but good call lol  
  
MetaJunki: Actually it's you who I must thank you Snape's chapter to shine, you truly were my muse for that. And so chocolate of your choice is yours. Cookies: white choc chip yum! Luke and Darth. as you wish. I'll try my up most, but I'm bad at describing action. *crosses fingers*  
  
Crimson Regret177: Galaxy Quest. Watched it every week for about six months I loved it so much. Then again, I did the same with Die Hard and Dogma. Dogma is my all time. Have you seen Truly, Madly, Deeply? Waffle away... I love to listen. lol p.s... One thing about Alan's Die Hard performance... the American accent.... had me in stitches. Still love him. Think it's going to have to be Hermione fighting Vanessa/Rebecca, but we'll see.  
  
QueenBonnie: *blushes* I had a feeling they weren't right. Honest. lol... Unfortunately, in looking for the script of Robin Hood I completely forgot to look for Labyrinth. It's a film I don't watch that often so I don't ruin it. Because I do get the compulsion to watch the same film over and over again and after so long never watching it again. I love it so much I don't want to ruin it. I did a textile project on it though.... I had to design the dress for Sarah in the ball sequence. I was dead proud of it. I'm rambling now. As you can tell by this chapter if Draco does face his father, It won't be at the showdown. I really want it to just be Hermione's fight. Thank you for the review and I hope I didn't insult you with the references. That'll teach me to stop being a smart-ass. lol p.s... very happy ending coming up very soon... *sobs* what will I do when I finish this?? I will miss all my regular reviewers.  
  
Guessing there's about three chapters left... maybe four. Not sure. All I know is I need sleep and lots of it. 


	19. I Don’t Need to Fall at Your Feet

I Don't Need to Fall at Your Feet.  
  
Stepping into the light, disrobing. Cries of anger and shock could be heard from the dozen death eaters who formed a semi-circle before the Lord Voldermort. The lifeless body she had just killed dropped to the floor with a thud. Kneeling directly before him was Rebecca, not even to turn to greet Hermione. Where was Dumbledore?  
  
Voldermort sat upon a stone throne. A skeleton with deathly white and sallow skin. He truly was too dead to die.  
  
"Tom!" Hermione screamed passing between two death eaters. They made no attempt to capture her. Severus hung back in the dense wood. Helpless as to what was about to unfold. His task being to `sniff` Albus out. Voldermort hissed at the use of his muggle name. He looked at the confident witch with mixed feelings of fear and anticipation. "Don't fear. Your prophesy will no be fulfilled tonight. You get to keep your petty life. However," Hermione had gotten close enough to grab Rebecca by the roots of her hair. Her sword coming up to strike at the neck. "This bitch is mine!" It had been a trap. Rebecca lunged a dagger into Hermione's thigh. Her own dagger dropping to the ground as the scarf ripped. The death eaters laughed.  
  
"If you want her life. You fight her for it!" Voldermort said in barely a whisper. Rebecca transformed her dagger into a sword with ease. She smiled vindictively as she rose. Her sword keeping her at length to Hermione.  
  
"This is going to interesting. I've dreamed of killing you." Rebecca attacked first. The sound of clashing metal was deathly. Both blades were pushed towards Hermione.  
  
"Never, going to happen." Hermione pushed her away. "You kill me, there will be others to take my place and seek my revenge. You kill me, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life!" They circled each other. Within an instant, Hermione was required to defend herself from a frontal attack by Rebecca. Her thigh was throbbing and gave her a weakness when she had to jump the sword Rebecca swung at Hermione's shins. "You were contracted to stop the prophesy? Why didn't you just kill me?"  
  
"Because I wanted to break you." Rebecca laughed. "I wanted you to destroy yourself. Where is the fun in simply killing."  
  
"You simply, killed my father." Hermione drove her sword into Rebecca's shoulder. Voldermort watched, amused. Severus couldn't watch. If only he hadn't made the promise. He'd be in there. Not hiding in the shadows. This is her fight. Severus reminded himself. It was taking all his energy not to join his love in her fight. To snap Rebecca like a twig for making a fool out of him. He could easily do that. Snap her in half. Instead he had to watch helplessly.  
  
"Oh no. I played with your father fist. I made him beg to die. I made him give up your mother and yourself, before I killed him." She threw down her sword. "Enough of this barbaric muggle custom." Rebecca threw Hermione into a tree with the wave of her hand. It was the tree Severus was now lurking behind. He had spotted Dumbledore, he was the man in the robes to the left of Voldermort. Was that because Voldermort held him in high regard, or was it simply that he didn't trust him?  
  
Hermione crumpled at the bottom of the tree. A bone or two had broken with the impact and she began coughing up blood. Severus made to reveal himself. She knew he was there.  
  
"I'm ok." She whispered as Rebecca began slinking her way to Hermione. A bounce in her step. "Have you found him?"  
  
"Yes. But Lucius-"  
  
"He isn't here!" Hermione added finding her footing with the aid of her sword. She had sensed Lucius was having second thoughts the night of the Christmas ball. She didn't have time to explain to Severus as Rebecca was now in front of her. Nose to nose. Hermione threw her sword away and pulled out her third and final weapon. The second dagger that had been tied to her right shin. With her free hand, Hermione grabbed Rebecca by her long raven hair and thrust her head into the tree. Would Voldermort allow Hermione to kill her? Of course he would, she is nothing more than a contractor to her. If Hermione killed her, Voldermort would be free of paying her for her fulfilment. He wanted this, that was why the death eaters were not attacking. Rebecca was now on her knees facing the tree, her forehead bleeding profoundly from the impacted of her head on the tree. Hermione standing behind her went to drag the dagger across Rebecca's throat. Rebecca dug her hand into Hermione's thigh wound. Immense pain shot through the wound, a typical dark warrior. She had poison coating her nails. Dropping the dagger, Rebecca was quick to claim it. Hermione fell to the floor and before Severus made it to her, Rebecca had plunged in the dagger. A stinging warmth filled Hermione's stomach. It wasn't deep. Hermione locked eyes with Rebecca as she brought her mouth to Hermione's ear.  
  
"You may have won Severus back. But for how long? His heart is black. Your precious, valiant heart can not save him. He win long for the dark side. He'll never truly turn from the dark arts. He will not help you and Potter with your fight against us.... He'll betray you. Be thankful that I'm killing you" With each word, Rebecca had plunged the dagger deeper. Hermione could do nothing but whimper. Wondering were Severus was. It had seemed to Hermione to last forever. In reality the words of wisdom lasted seconds. Using all her strength. Hermione silently raised her hands to Rebecca's head.  
  
"Thank you for the warning. I'll take the risk." Hermione twisted and heard a snap. She fell on top of Hermione. Her eyes still open looking into Hermione's victorious eyes. The next instant Severus pulled Rebecca from her. He made to remove the dagger. "Don't! I'll do it." Hermione pulled out the dagger. A blood curdling clap came from Vodermort. Severus helped Hermione up and walked her to a better view of Voldermort.  
  
"Very entertaining Miss Granger. You show promise. My dear Judas, work on her! She will make a fine addition to my world. Specially seeing as your dear cousin has pulled out. Lucius the coward always had to follow you. Always in your shadow." Voldermort cackled. "We will meet again Miss Granger." With his final words he disappeared, followed by all but one of his death eaters. Hermione knew at once who it was. Remaining to the left of where Voldermort sat was Dumbledore. Quivering beneath his death eater robes. Hermione, being propped up by Severus made her way to Dumbledore. Standing before him she placed the blood stained dagger to Dumbledore's chest. Removing the mask. Tears streamed down his face. His eyes showed pure bewilderment.  
  
"Begging is best done from the knees sir!" Hermione roared. Tears welling up in her eyes. Rebecca's control over him ended the moment her heart stopped beating. He fell to the floor instantly, crying like a child.  
  
"I am sorry my dear child-" His eyes remained fixed to the floor.  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT. Do not talk to me like I am one of your students." Hermione was trembling. Could she really be about to kill Albus Dumbledore?  
  
"I am sorry Hermione." He looked into her eyes. He'd put that coldness there. He'd put that fear there. He'd put that hatred there.  
  
"For years. You've protected Harry, without you. He would be dead. Countess times you've saved him. Without you, he would not win this war!" The dagger remained at his heart. "Not only do you not protect me. You took away the one person who did protect me... You made him into a monster. You almost destroyed us. You- You raped my mother and stood there and consoled me! You where in the room when my father was killed. And it was you who brought me into this world, and acted like a father to me. For so many reasons, it's your fault this has happened to me. Tell me why I shouldn't kill you where you kneel like the dog you are-" Hermione collapsed into Severus' arms as he pulled the dagger from her. She sobbed dry tears for she had no tears left to cry.  
  
"Enough my love. Killing him will not bring you your revenge. Look at him." Severus moved her head to face Dumbledore. "Not killing him will be punishment enough." She nodded in agreement and allowed Severus to cradle her and apperate to his Summer home after ordering Dumbledore to follow them.  
  
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A/N: What did you think? Would have been up yesterday but I think there was a problem with Fan Fiction. Next chapter Dumbledore will make some suggestions.  
  
Anarane Anwamane: Shucks thank you *blushes*  
  
MetaJunkie: Glad you like. Never thought about a SS/HG joining until I came across Fan Fiction. I love them all. This chapter is a little short? How did I do with describing the action?  
  
bunnyrabbit228: This would have been sooner but ff was playing up for the most of last night. Hope you like.  
  
QueenBonnie: I see what you mean about characters acting strange, other characters? Would that be Ron and Remus? Any others. I'll try to clear it up in one of the upcoming chapters. P.S... just bought the Labyrinth soundtrack, it was on sale in HMV. What FF should I write? *thinks....* lol 


	20. Only Dreams

Severus paced outside the bedroom door. Once he had placed Hermione upon his bed he had owled Minerva to bring Molly and herself to his home in France. He had done the best he could to heal the wounds, however she still needed treatment by a trained witch. Madam Pomfrey was in America, so Severus turned to Molly for help.  
  
They arrived as soon as possible. Minerva was at the present time in deep discussion with Albus. A discussion Severus had been invited to but had been to distracted by the screams being admitted from his locked bedroom. Of course, Molly had brought guests. Unwanted and unwelcome guests. Not Ginny or even Draco. But Harry and Ron, who were at the time sitting on the bench outside the house watching the sun rise. How romantic for the two. Severus thought dryly. Still pacing. We wanted to be in the room. Molly had told him off for doing what he had thought best by closing over the wound. It had in fact caused internal bleeding. She had to reopen the wound to repair the damage. It had now been two hours.  
  
He couldn't loose her. He just couldn't. How had she coped those months if she had felt the same? Hermione wasn't aware but Severus had also heard Rebecca's warning. Was it true? Would he always long to stand by Voldermort? Would he betray the one thing he loved. The only person who truly trusted him. If she lived, would there be that reasonable doubt in the way she looked at him? He would surly die from that look.  
  
"Severus dear. Please sit?" Minerva spoke kindly. Severus hadn't realised she had joined him by the closed door. "You will need your strength for when she awakes-"  
  
"If she wakes."  
  
"I do believe her lungs are in working order dear boy." Minerva winced over yet another piercing scream. "We have matters to discuss with you." She sat him down at the table and poured him a generous cup of coffee. Albus sat deadly silent. "Remus-"  
  
"The old fool." Severus sighed closing his eyes. He was bathed in the morning sunlight that came in through the large open front door.  
  
"Does not approve of you and Hermione. The relationship between himself and Hermione's mother has disintegrated because she approves."  
  
"Why do I not like where this is going?" Severus shot up quickly. Both Minerva and Albus looked grave.  
  
"Recent events had Mrs Granger on anti-depressants. She was addicted.... You will agree love is also an addiction. With her growing relationship with Remus, her addiction to the medication faded. Until last night. She took an overdose- She's ok. She's in a muggle hospital." Minerva interjected when she saw the look on Severus' face. "We would like you to find Remus and tell him. Get him to go back to Hermione's mother." Severus thought. How could he leave Hermione's side? "She'll be fine my boy. Once she has awoken. We have something to ask you both. Have faith dear boy." Minerva placed her hand on his face to wipe the tear that fell.  
  
"Where is he?" Severus asked weakly.  
  
"Hogwarts!" Minerva looked at the table. "The wamping willow. I saw him go in as I left. I assure you if anything changes in Hermione's condition-"  
  
"-Do I have a choice?" Severus asked weakly. Raising from the table.  
  
"Not really." Minerva smiled weakly. Severus disappeared instantly through the large open doors. Startled by Severus' sudden appearance, Harry and Ron stopped kissing.  
  
"Don't stop on my account. I knew you were destined for each other the moment you walked into my classroom seven years ago." Severus hadn't even looked at them. He smiled at the thought of the looks on their blushing faces. Hermione's thank you had been for looking after Harry when she had knocked him out. Now it didn't seem so cryptic.  
  
Now for Remus and his affair with the mourning widow. The overdose wasn't the cause of Remus leaving. It was the affect. Severus saw yesterday that Hermione's mother had taken something. He could smell it on her. Of course the fight that started over his and Hermione's relationship had ended up on there own and her dependence on the drug. Severus didn't see what he could do. But he would try. With that thought he apperated to Hogwarts.  
  
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Hermione awoke with a start. Her dreams had been of striking a death eater she thought was Dumbledore only to find the man behind the mask was Severus. As she sat, she became dizzy. A strong hand mopped her brow and eased her up.  
  
"Severus." She whispered weakly, drifting in and out of consciousness. She swallowed. "Is it over?" He nodded. "Marry me?" He laughed. Placing his forehead to hers. There was no fear, or doubt in those eyes.  
  
"When?" He asked simply. "Because I have just the ring." He pointed to her left hand where a ring had been placed on her wedding finger. The one Hermione had pointed out that night they had gone to Brooklyn Bridge. While she had been asleep that night, he had returned and got the ring. "I've had it since New York. When my memories were taken from my I still had it. Even through I couldn't remember. The ring always reminded me of you." She nodded and kissed him and winced at the pain in her stomach.  
  
"Have you found out what happened to Lucius? Was he at your wedding?" Hermione asked pulling Severus onto the bed. Molly was outside talking to Minerva and Albus.  
  
"Draco's killed him." Severus hadn't fully understood what Draco had meant when he said he wasn't going back. "He told him about Ginny. He didn't take it too well. It was Lucius or Draco."  
  
"The prophesy! The unity of the two great houses of Hogwarts will bring down a great lord. I do believe he was a lord. A great lord, well known. Voldermort had no idea...." Hemione trailed off  
  
"He will always fear us-" He was cut short by the entrance of Minerva. She cough politely.  
  
"Albus would like a word." She stated calmly. "How are you dear?"  
  
"I've felt better." Hermione smiled weakly easing herself off the bed. She crumpled. Caught by Severus, he put her arms around his next and carried her into the other room. He sat down at the tale were a meeting was about to be held. Hermione remaining lightly on his knee. How right it felt. How comfortable he was. How light she was, almost too light. It was true, she had lost a vast amount of weight over the last few months. Severus vowed to put a stop to it. She looked deep into Albus' eyes to show she was attempting to forgive him. Her vision then turned to Harry and Ron, who were both pale with worry. They also looked awkward at the situation. Hermione assumed it was the paring of herself with Severus. Unaware that Severus himself had publicly outed the pair four hours previous.  
  
"I'm resigning my position as Headmaster of Hogwarts." Albus explained to result of many a gasp. "The position is going to Minerva." He pointed to the woman that was sat to his side. "Which means a place has opened up for a Transfiguration teacher. Hermione?" He looked to her. Her eyes widened.  
  
"I've- I- Would it be possible. I came out of education only a few months ago."  
  
"We have the utmost faith and respect in you Hermione." Minerva responded. "If you refuse I will be very offended." All she could do was nod.  
  
"Severus?" Albus' attention turned to him. "Defence Against the Dark Arts-"  
  
"I refuse." Severus answered shortly. He wanted to prove to Hermione he didn't long for the dark arts. Even if it was about defence. Hermione turned to look at him.  
  
"You've been after the position for years." She brushed her hand against his stubbling face. "I always thought you'd cursed the position."  
  
"I've always wanted you more!" He blushed at his honesty. He turned to Albus. "I'm am happy as Potion's master."  
  
"As you wish my boy." Minerva smiled.  
  
"So you going to lift the curse then?" Hermione questioned in a whisper that only he heard. A twinkle in her eye. He winked.  
  
"Who will you get?" Severus asked, wishing he was alone with Hermione.  
  
"I'm sure we will find someone." Minerva smiled. "Neville Longbottom perhaps. He had been our choice for replacement for Potion's Master." Both Severus and Hermione snorted.  
  
"You're not serious?" Severus asked. Yes, the boy had picked up in his last year. However he would still blow the castle to smithereens if he was not on standby.  
  
"Of course I wasn't serious." Minerva laughed as Severus let out a big sigh of relief. Minerva relived there and then; even if he had have accepted. He would have been back to potions within a week. Not even that, a day.  
  
"What are you going to do Professor?" Hermione asked Albus. The sparkle was slowly returning to his eyes.  
  
"I'm going on a long journey. Away from the fighting. Away from responsibility. I'm old. I am a weakness to you all. They know I can be controlled now. Perhaps a world tour." He sighed. "I will miss you all. Harry. These people have looked after you. For many years. They have protected you. You can not win this war by yourself. So look after them. Protect them. And you will win." With that note to Harry he stood. "Goodbye to you all. I may be some time." He was gone. Deep down, they all knew they wouldn't see him again. The guilt was too great and he honoured Hermione too much to ask her to remove his memories. The memories were his punishment. He would live them.  
  
"I have things that need to be done before term starts. My my, what a turn of events." Minerva left with a pop.  
  
"Can I have a word with Harry please?" Hermione questioned. Molly stood instantly, nodded and disappeared back to the Burrow after strict instruction to Severus. Both Ron and Severus made to leave. "You can stay." Hermione stopped them in their tracks. "I want an apology." She insisted. Harry furrowed his brow. "You tried to kiss me on the train to Hogwarts last year. I'm guessing it was your last ditch attempt to prove to yourself you were straight. I feel used Harry. All this moping of yours. Jealousy of my mother. Was all because you were confused about your sexuality?" He nodded solemnly. "I'm happy for you. I really am." She took the hand of Severus. "But I can't help but feel you've taken it out on me."  
  
"I'm sorry Hermione. I'm sorry I haven't been there for you, and seen what had been going on. Forgive me." He had gotten up and knelt before her. She ruffled his hair.  
  
"I will be honoured to fight beside you when the time comes. It will be soon Harry. I hope you are ready." She lifted his chin. He was crying. He nodded, but he didn't mean it. "Go home. And be nice to Draco." Hermione knew they had been tormenting him. She didn't know how, but she knew. "Besides. You need all the allies you can get, Draco is growing into a good man. Don't tempt him to the dark. His future lies on the blade of a knife. You tip him, we get an enemy." Hermione lectured. Severus knew right then she would make a good teacher. And mother. "That goes for you too Ron. He's about to become your brother-in-law." Both Harry and Ron stood, mouths open wide. "Now go home!" Hermione laughed as they disappeared with a pop.  
  
"Miss Granger?!" Severus picked her up and returning her to the bed, he climbed in after her once he had removed his outer velvet robes, revealing a white cotton shirt. "You are going to be my wife and we did not discuss it with anyone." She pulled him carefully into her chest as he lay on his side facing away from her. Her head rested on his shoulder.  
  
"I think they have had to process enough information for one day. And besides..." He turned to face her. "You're going to be mine. I want to keep it a secret for a little while longer. Just for today. I want mum to be the first to know."  
  
"Can I make one correction?" He questioned, kissing her neck. She nodded, her eyes closing. She was drifting off to sleep. "I am yours. You don't need a marriage to tell you that." Her eyes were still closed. She sighed, inhaling his soothing scent.  
  
"I know. But I want the whole world to know that I am in love with you. That even through people have put obstacles in our way, torn us apart we've still found each other and we're never going to left go. It's a shame, Remus didn't approve..." Trailing off into sleep, Severus pressed his lips against hers.  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure about that my love." He closed his eyes. For the first time in years he slept peacefully. He didn't feel restless. He didn't have nightmares. Only dreams.  
  
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A/N: Last chapters coming up. I'm almost sad to see the end. Special Edition will be up soon. In it Chapter 19 and 20 might get put into one chapter.  
  
Bowie's Leper Messiah So sorry I didn't get to you before now. But I never recieved an e-mail about your review....:Anyhoo, Yes I do like Orlando, I actually prefer long hair on a man like Jon Bon Jovi, not short and spiky. .Unfortunately, I would agree with you about Hermione not liking Orli, If she didn't have that big major crush on Gilderoy in Chambers.... Thank you for your review and I hope you didn't give up after chapter three because of the reference to Orlando Bloom. I can understand that you probably don't like him. His charm has actually start to wear off for me, as I did prefer him when he was not so well know. In addition to my statement. If I had posters of Alan Rickman, David Bowie, Anthony Stewart Head and Dominic Keating I would gladly take down my posters of Orli. 


	21. Ending with a beginning

Madison and Brooklyn  
  
"I now pronounce you husband, and wife!" The vicar announced at the end of the winter wedding ceremony. Hermione tried to stifle her yawn the best she could.  
  
"Mrs Snape?! Are you yawning at your own mother's wedding?" Severus had his arms wrapped around his wife of six months waist. Not only had they told everyone the following day, they had married in a simple ceremony. She giggled softly watching her mother walk down the aisle linked to Remus, her new husband who had proposed during the firework display in November. They planed for a December wedding; the Saturday before all the students left for Christmas. Mother and Daughter exchanged loving smiles before their concentrations returned to their husbands.  
  
"Draco Weasley?" Hermione thought out loud "It was nice he took her name." Hermione ignored his husbands taunting as the second married couple began there trek down the aisle, Draco and Ginny had decided they couldn't wait till the end of the year to marry and had asked Minerva McGonagall for permission to marry. She agree on condition that she was invited to the service. Ginny had been talking to Hermione's mother, Elizabeth, when the idea of a joint wedding came up. Severus' lips brushed her lengthening hair. She had decided to grow it out, while Severus had cut his short again. Not as short as before; his hair stopped just below his ear. Hermione however wasn't ready to reveal why she was tired just yet. "It was nice of them to have a joint muggle wedding with my mother. I'm sure Arthur enjoyed it." She pointed over to the red headed man who was weeping in the front row being consoled by his wife, Molly. "So what about Brooklyn, or Madison?" Luckily he couldn't see her smiling. They were also in the front row, Severus standing behind Hermione his chin now resting upon her shoulder, her hair tickling his nose sending her sent rushing to his head. Hermione had been a maid of honour for both her mother and Ginny. She was dressed in a gold satin dress with thin straps. The dress hit the floor. Severus wore a muggle wedding suit in black, white shirt with a gold tie. He had been the best man for both Draco and Remus. Draco for being his Godfather and for Remus as it was Severus who had brought the man to his senses and reunited him with Elizabeth. Severus accepted, ever knowing that the honour would ordinarily have gone to either James or Sirius. Harry of course had taken Hermione down the aisle while he had remained with both expecting men. Happy that their wedding day hadn't involved the worry, or even this many people. It may have been a muggle wedding, however there were no strictly muggle guests. The vicar was the only muggle present who didn't know the great hall that he was stood in was part of a school of witchcraft and wizardry. All the students were present to witness the marriage of one of their students to an ex-student and the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher to the Transfiguration teacher's mother. All were now returning to their rooms while the great hall was being transformed from wedding room to dance hall.  
  
"Are you trying to change our surname my dear? I am rather happy of our name. Sssssnape, it's sexy, it's -" He purred as she moved his hand from her hip to her stomach. His hand trembled under hers. He'd lost his voice. Was she really? Was there life beneath his fingers?  
  
"Names for our baby. I'm pregnant Severus." Her hand stayed firmly on his. The truth was she was six weeks pregnant. She'd known for three of those weeks. Molly had told her and promised to keep it secret. Not even Ginny knew. He was silent for too long, she grew fearful. "Are you mad?"  
  
"I'm furious." He whispered. His hand remained on her stomach. "What terrible taste you have in baby names." He spun her around to reveal a broad smile. He lifted her up then gently lowered her. Her body sliding against his. Her lips meeting his. He'd wanted a baby. But had been too scared to bring it up. Hermione seemed to young and free spirited to be tied to a baby, although he knew it would tame the anger she had developed since the recent events. Yes, she had calmed much, but she was still extremely bitter. He had been wrong, she had wanted a bundle just as much as him. Although her fears had been different. The threat of war still lingered. However, if Severus could make her feel protected. What could he do for a child? And the school was the safest place in the wizarding world to bring up a child.  
  
"You're really not mad?" She asked after her feet hit the ground. Her stomach in her throat. Even after sixth months, he could still surprise her. The hall was empty, apart from the house elves who were redecorating the room.  
  
"Hermione Snape! You have made me the happiest man in the world." He knelt down and kissed her satin covered stomach. Now he knew he could see, or rather feel a slight bump. He had just assumed that she was gaining extra weight. "Question?" He looked up to Hermione still on one knee. "Can we take back your mother's wedding gift and simply tell her she's a grandmother?" She simply laughed as he stood and walked his wife out the hall. "Now, baby names....."  
  
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A/N: That's all folks! Although I do have a good idea for a sequel, any thoughts ideas will be considered. So what did you think? Good ending? Anti-climaxtic? Any unanswered questions? I'll post another page with responses to the reviews I get in a few days.  
  
I think I'm also going to rewrite the other Harry Potter fic I've posted. At the moment it's a crappy, too long, one-shot. But I might brake it down.  
  
WifeOfSatan: Hope you like the ending. I didn't like him evil one bit, but once I started I used it to my advantage. Look out for the `special edition`... coming soon.  
  
bunnyrabbit228: Really do hope you liked this ending. As you can see it's wide open for a sequel. I could go on. But I really think it's a nice place to end it. What do you think?  
  
Anarane Anwamane: Hoped you liked the ending?  
  
indianoutlawlady: I'd just read a fic where Harry was gay, and with Draco. I wanted to explain Harry's actions on the train but I didn't want to destroy the relationship between Draco and Ginny. I hadn't had Ron in this that much so that's how it happened. I don't mind gay pairings, I just wouldn't like to go into too much detail unless they were my major characters. I'm rambling now. I'll stop. lol  
  
Thunder Strix: I'm glad you liked it. I am quite proud of it. And I'm sooooo happy with all the positive reviews I've gotten. I'm so glad you took a chance and read this.  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: What did you think of the ending? I decided to not have HG/SS get married with her mother and Ginny because it would have been really OOC on an already OOC couple. Hope It worked out ok and your questions have been answered. ;-) 


	22. Shout outs and sequel extract

BadBoyLover: I'm glad you're loving it. lol  
  
ivre: Mr Perfect spoke to me a few days ago, he had a hang over from the weekend. I have a horrible feeling it was for his stag do. *sobs* I'm going paint balling with him at the end of the school year though ;-) I'm having second thoughts about it now. Perhaps I might just give him the URL of this story and let him worked it out! lol  
  
Cianna Greenwood: I've just started to go through the story again and I'll see what I can do to clear up chapter 19. And The sequel is beginning to take shape. A little snippet can be seen at the bottom.  
  
JasperPress77: I couldn't bring myself to kill him off. I think him going off in search of redemption was the best way. Because I doubt Hermione would be able to get over the rape of her mother seeing him everyday.  
  
QueenBonnie: Sequel is in the making. We might see a return of one of the triple A's  
  
SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: Sequel is on it's way. Last Exam is the 28th June. Can you wait that long?  
  
bunnyrabbit228: All your questions will be revealed in the sequel. You are one of my muses for the Dumbledore storyline that will appear in the sequel.  
  
Anarane Anwamane: awwww shucks! Hope you'll read my sequel.  
  
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From Chapter One of .............. (I need a name?!)  
  
Severus was awoken by the profound swearing of his wife. It was seven o'clock and she was up running a bath for their daughter who was now in his arms, sucking her thumb. How long had Hermione been up? As gently as he could he removed his arms from the sleeping angel and went in search around the bed for his slippers.  
  
Stumbling into the bathroom, his short hair dishevelled he found her crying quietly into the bath. cradling her scalded hand. He rushed to her side, wetting a cloth with cold water.  
  
"My love what is wrong?!" Severus questioned ignoring Hermione's soft whimper. She shook her head, dismissing the question, drying her eyes. "Will you tell me?!" He cradled her.  
  
"Andy?! Bath time!" Hermione shouted through the open bathroom door, clambering to her feet. No answer. Hermione knew the little girl was awake. It was a game they played, but Hermione was in no mood today. Severus could see her holding back the tears. It angered him that she wouldn't tell him. He was growing fearful of what was upsetting his love. What had happened since they fell asleep four hours previous? "Andromeda Elizabeth Snape!" Hermione shouted. Andromeda knew her mother was in no mood. "I'm going to count to three: One, two-" By the third count, a bouncy, alert four year old skipped into the bathroom, removed her pyjamas and plunked herself into the warm bathtub. She then turned to her parents and gave them a cheeky smile.  
  
Hermione's heart melted. Her daughter was beautiful, she had her father's dark hair and her warm and friendly eyes. Hermione reprimanded herself for taking her mood out on her innocent daughter.  
  
"Bubbles mummy?!" Andromeda pouted. She had learnt that from Ron. Hermione tried to stop her tears from welling up again. She waved her hand at the bath and it instantly filled with colourful bubbles to the delight of her daughter. "Daddy? Why are you sad?" She had been distracted my her Severus' solemn glare.  
  
"Nothing my sweet!" He lied.  
  
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Andromeda Elizabeth Snape?   
  
What do you all think about the name for Hermione and Severus' little girl? It does have a meaning and It could possibly be relevant to the story. I was going to have a vote about whether it should have been a girl or boy. But I really wanted them to have a girl.  
  
Any other ideas? Would you like to see Ginny and Draco with a baby? What do think about the reappearance of one of the three A's? 


	23. New Message to old readers

I know it's been a while, ok two, maybe three years… but to those readers of You Had Me From Hello and The Distance… It's finally here… My Labyrinth fic, please enjoy.

Captain Crash.


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